Backgrounder: Chronology of China's health-care reform
BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- China will set up at
least one clinic in every village within three years to improve the health care
at grassroots level, according to an implementation plan for medical reform
released by the State Council here on Tuesday.
The government will also support the construction of
2,000 hospitals at the county level to guarantee that each county has a hospital
that meets the national standard, the three-year plan (2009-2011) said, adding
that more township hospitals and clinics will be built or expanded in 2009.
The country will build or renovate 3,700 community
clinics and 11,000 health service centers in urban areas within three years. The
central government will also build 2,400 such centers in underdeveloped urban
areas during the same period.
In spite of the country's economic progress, the
development of health care services in rural areas has lagged behind because
most medical facilities and doctors are in cities, the plan said.
Poorly-equipped rural clinics and a shortage of
medical staff have restricted the quality and availability of health care for
rural residents. Some are even impoverished because of the huge cost of medical
treatment and the transportation fees they have to pay traveling from their
homes to cities, according to the plan.
China unveils action plan for
universal access to basic health
care
BEIJING, April 7
(Xinhua) -- China unveiled a three-year action plan on health care reform
Tuesday, which it said would lay a solid foundation for equitable and universal
access to essential health care for all in China.
Under the 850 billion yuan (124 billion U.S. dollar) plan
for 2009 to 2011, the government promised universal access to basic health
insurance, introduction of an essential drug system, improved primary health
care facilities, equitable access to basic public health services and pilot
reform of state-run hospitals. Full story
China to tackle rural medical staff
shortages under 2009-2011 plan
BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- China will deal with shortages of medical staff in
underdeveloped rural areas under medical system reform plans published here
Tuesday.
In the reform plan for 2009-2011, China pledged to offer
about 1.9 million training sessions for village and township medical clinics and
urban community medical institutions over the next three years.Full story
China steps up reforms to improve
health care for urban, rural
residents
BEIJING, April 6
(Xinhua) -- China will promote health-care reform in four areas -- public health
services, medical treatment, medical insurance and drug supply -- for both urban
and rural residents, according to a central government document released on
Monday.
The reforms will make health-care more convenient and
affordable and narrow the urban and rural gap, said the reform guidelines,
jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
and the State Council. Full story
China unveils health-care reform
guidelines
BEIJING, April 6
(Xinhua) -- China Monday unveiled a blueprint for health-care over the next
decade, kicking off a much-anticipated reform to fix the ailing medical system
and to ensure fair and affordable health services for all 1.3 billion citizens.
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and
the State Council, or China's Cabinet, jointly endorsed and issued the
Guidelines on Deepening the Reform of Health-care System after about three years
of intense debate and repeated revision. Full story
