The Ministry of Health (MOH) has told the Shanxi health department to conduct an investigation after it was reported on Wednesday that nearly 100 children in the province had died or fell ill after receiving vaccinations at government-designated clinics from 2006 to 2008.
The Shanxi government denied the widely-circulated report and the provincial health department said it had not received reports of mass adverse effects from any vaccination, the Xinhua News Agency said, citing a division chief.
The MOH, in a statement posted on its website, said it has asked the local health department to report the latest situation on any possible adverse reactions to the vaccines.
A report in the China Economic Times on Wednesday, citing Chen Tao'an - a whistleblower who had worked with the provincial center for disease control and prevention (CDC) in 2007 - blamed tainted vaccines for the deaths or disabilities of the children.
According to the report, the local health department in 2006 asked an unqualified private company to supply the vaccines, a practice that law experts said was against national regulations.
Chen blamed abuse of power and corruption by local health authorities but the MOH said it had launched an investigation into the case, which was closed in November 2008. It found that the sampled vaccines met national standards.
Questions:
1. How many children died or fell ill from the vaccine?
2. In which publication did the whistleblower speak?
3. In what year did the health department ask an unqualified company to supply the vaccine?
Answers:
1. 100.
2. China Economic Times.
3. 2006.
(中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑)
About the broadcaster:
Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.