China's central government will spend 69 million yuan (US$8.4
million) to assist village clinics in the west of the country in
2006, the Ministry of Health announced on Thursday. A total of 375
counties in 11 western provinces are to get financial assistance to
improve rural medical services. .
In a pilot program last year Gansu
Province in the northwest sent 1,265 urban doctors to 350
village clinics to help train health workers and undertake medical
services. The initiative brought significant benefits to many
farming communities, said Han Keyin, deputy director of the
provincial health department.
"My nine-month working in the village let me see at first hand
how much these farming communities need medical services and
medicines," said Dr. Yang Hua, of the Center for Disease Prevention
and Control at Yumen City. He worked in Wenquan Village of Wushan
County last year.
In communities and areas where urban doctors performed their
duties 87.6 percent of rural people were satisfied with the
service. This figure comes from a survey conducted by the Gansu
provincial health authorities.
This year emphasis was being placed on the training of staff in
village clinics. Additionally efforts were to be made to improve
management standards and to ensure appropriate medical services
were available, said Vice Minister of Health Chen Xiaohong at the
meeting.
(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2006)