The Chinese central government will invest 40 million yuan annually in the next 10 years for treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (TB) in west China.

China has 5 million tuberculosis patients, ranking second in the world after India. The western region accounts for 29 percent of China's total population, but the number of tuberculosis patients there accounts for 36 percent of the national total, much higher than other parts of China, according to a national conference recently held in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Due to a lack of funds and medical workers, half of the counties in seven of the 12 western provinces and autonomous regions are unable to treat TB patients effectively.

China will use the World Bank and British loans to equip hospitals with TB examination systems in 16 provinces and autonomous regions, of which nine are located in west China.

Japan has promised to provide microscopes and TB medicines to 11 Chinese provinces from 2002.

According to a long-term national medical program, the TB recovery rate will reach 90 percent by 2005 and climb to 95 percent by 2010.

(People's Daily October 30, 2001)