The Health Ministry announced Thursday that it has closed 147 illegal blood collection and supply agencies since last May to help ensure blood safety.

Ma Xiaowei, deputy health minister, said at a national conference on health supervision that a joint taskforce has been set up by China's Health Ministry, the Ministry of Public Securityand the State Food and Drug Administration to conduct a nationwide campaign to eliminate illegal blood collection.

In addition to the 147 that were closed, 86 agencies were punished for malpractice in the campaign, Ma said. "Thirty people were arrested and 15 others were jailed. More than 100 people received administrative discipline," he said.

China has more than 900 blood collection and supply agencies.

In the mid-1990s, illegal blood collection caused the spread of AIDS among rural residents in some localities of central China. Since 1995, China promulgated a series of laws and regulations to secure blood safety, and HIV testing has been adopted at blood stations across the nation.

Ma asked local health authorities to increase regular checks of blood collection and supply agencies to prevent illegal operations from reoccurring.

(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2005)