Eight babies are dead after contracting infections as a result of shoddy health care.

The deaths happened in northwest China's Shaanxi Province between Sept. 5-15, said local authorities on Saturday afternoon.

A joint investigation by experts from the Health Ministry and the Health Department of Shaanxi confirmed the deaths were a result of hospital-acquired infections.

Lax management, inefficient execution of regulations and irresponsible medical staff were blamed for the infection, said the provincial health department.

The babies were among 94 admitted by the No. 1 hospital affiliated with the College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University in Shaanxi's capital, between Aug. 28 and Sept. 16.

Some were born in the hospital while others were admitted for various illnesses, local sources said.

Ma Aiqun, the hospital head, and Lu Yi, the hospital deputy head, were given demerits for not reporting the deaths to the heath authorities, a source with the Xi'an Jiaotong University said.

Liu Li, the neonatology department director of the hospital, and Guo Xi'er, head nurse of the department, were sacked for dereliction of duty. Five other hospital officials in medical affairs, infection-control and medical care departments were also dismissed.

Doctors who treated the dead newborns were also suspended from duty for investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2008)