A seasoned Chinese doctor recently helped expose the practice of patients sneaking red envelopes filled with money into Chinese hospitals for better treatment.
Li Rui, however, was not discouraging the practice when revealing "gray income" to a classroom of medical students. Quite the opposite.
The Beijing doctor, working at the Aviation and Space Centre Hospital affiliated to Peking University and a teacher with the famous New Oriental School, told a group of students that "you should definitely take 'gray income' sent in by patients when it's necessary", Xinhua reported.
"If you help 100 patients remove their kidney stones in one night, you can expect to buy a Porsche overnight," Li said as he delivered a lecture, which was caught on tape and posted on microblog Sina Weibo this week.
In the video footage, he also said doctors could fabricate medical journals howsoever they wish.
In a country with increasing violence stemming from strained doctor-patient relations, Li's remarks only fanned anger, with the public lashing out at the doctor with scathing comments.
"Such doctors should be sacked," wrote a Weibo user.
"Face it, this is reality in China's medical industry," read another comment.
One person advised people to avoid "expensive nightmares" as much as possible.
Li issued a public apology Wednesday for what he said. His employer, New Oriental, apparently caught wind of the incident and ended his contract. Videos of his previous lectures have been removed from its website, the school said on its official Weibo account. The hospital he worked with has launched an internal investigation into the case.
In China, some patients, including expecting mothers, are believed to surreptitiously deliver extra money sealed in red envelops, or "hongbao", to doctors to make sure their operations go smoothly. Li's comments are seen as a proof of this practice.
The hospital firmly dismissed the lecturer's utterances, saying on its official website that Li's comments were far from the truth and defamed the medical staff.
But others in the health sector argue differently.
A doctor surnamed Wang with the oncology department of a hospital in Henan Province told Xinhua that taking additional money was "industry routine".
"Sometimes we get the 'red envelops' from patients as well, because they want the best doctor or to book the earliest operation date," Wang said.
But doctors are increasingly careful in accepting money these days, out of concern about media exposure. Now, they only take the money from acquaintances.
Liu Yong, a resident of Henan's Xuchang City, said he prepared a "hongbao" for surgeons so that his father's operation in a Zhengzhou hospital could proceed as soon as possible. But his offer was refused because he did not know any hospital staff.
As outrage and concern run high, many are demanding that the practice be dealt with immediately.
Shi Pu, a professor with Henan University of Economics and Law, said the only way to avoid such phenomenon is to better supervision.
"Stricter punishment should be meted out to doctors who take 'hongbao' and authorities should stick with that rule," Shi said.
