Sources with the regional government said the they had invested 100 million yuan (US$12.04 million) in order to improve medical services in rural areas.

As a result, medical services now cover 80 percent of the region's total pasture) area and the qualified immunity now covers 97 percent of the region's children.

Tibet was famous for rampant epidemic diseases before the peaceful liberation of the region in 1951, but now, incidence of epidemic diseases has dropped to eight per thousand.

Recently, Tibet, cooperating with Australia and other countries, kicked off a large-scale water project, which guarantees that 30 percent of the region's villages can have access to clean tap water.

(People's Daily 05/17/2001)