ADVANCE FOR RELEASE SUNDAY, AUG. 26, 2012 - A large number of patients register to consult the doctors at a hospital Friday, Aug. 24, 2012 in Shanghai. Despite an injection of more than $240 billion in government funding into health care over the past three years, the doctor-patient relationship has continued to break down. Doctors are overworked and underpaid, and many push drug sales or charge extra for services such as deliveries to make more money. Patients are faced with high medical expenses, brief consultations and often poor quality care. The anger built up over years is now exploding into violence, with doctors, nurses and interns around the country stabbed, punched or otherwise assaulted by patients or their relatives over the past year.
Section:Photo
