Britain will contribute US$10.4 million over a four-year period, to help establish an effective community health service (CHS) system in three of China's cities.
The project aimed at improving health access for poor people in urban areas was launched yesterday in Beijing.
"This is the largest international co-operation in the area of CHS of China so far. The project will establish sustainable and demonstrative models of CHS in Chengdu, Shenyang and a city in the western part of China," said Vice-Minister of Health Peng Yu.
"The implementation of the project will provide valuable practical experience in the field of CHS and will promote and hopefully perfect community service in China," said Peng.
A leading group for co-ordination at State level has been set-up, consisting of the ministries of foreign trade and economic co-operation, health, labour and social security.
"This type of health care service has been provided in Britain for many years, and the new Chinese CHS will have many similar features, - care for the whole family, health promotion and family planning accessible to all people," said Nigel Cox, minister of the British embassy.
In recent years, the development of community health services in China has progressed rapidly.
However, many problems need to be addressed at the initial stages of the development and ways of improving policies need to be explored, said Peng.
According to the second national health service survey conducted in 1998, 51 percent of sick people did not seek medical treatment, and 30 percent of eligible patients were not hospitalized.
(China Daily 08/23/2001)
