A crackdown has been launched against organized groups that attempt to blackmail hospitals, threaten medical workers or try to profit from the grievances of the vulnerable.

The crackdown, launched on Sunday, will last until the end of March, said Sun Haibo, an officer from the public security management bureau under the Ministry of Public Security.

Hospitals have seen a spate of violent incidents recently. Besides attacks on medical workers, many hospitals also face a growing number of protests instigated by groups, including organized crime groups, which try to disrupt or threaten their work for financial gain.