Chang-Hong Whitney11.11.08
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is drafting plans to widen and deepen reforms in the healthcare area. The central government will continue granting funds to improve the basic infrastructure of rural health systems—replacing and renewing basic medical devices at the county level and within township health facilities—aimed at strengthening the basic healthcare system in these regions.
By the end of 2007, the central government had contributed 9.4 billion RMB ($1.38 billion USD at recent exchange rate) to improve existing buildings or build new healthcare centers in rural areas. This year, another 2.7 billion RMB ($397 million) were provided for building improvement. The 2009 funding will be focused on equipment. As such, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that the central government will allocate another 2.7 billion RMB ($397 million) next year for rural health facilities to purchase basic equipment such as X-ray machines, ultrasound technology, sterilizers, surgical beds and electrocardiogram machines.
Government health-related subsidies to the central and western provinces also will double in the coming year. And the healthcare insurance program for urban and township citizens will expand to 299 additional cities. According to China Daily, there are 667 cities in China—237 of which have populations consisting of more than 200,000 people.