China is working to set up a medical assistance program and an independent fund to aid seriously-ill rural residents in its vast countryside so as to ease the financial burden of tens of millions of rural residents.
Officials said Wednesday at the national aid and relief working conference held here that the task will be supervised by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and carried out by the ministries of health and finance.
More than 150 representatives at the meeting discussed such topics as the definition of "seriously ill", standards and methods for providing assistance, qualification assessment and financing.
Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Yang Yanyin said that his ministry will step up its efforts to work out the implementation blueprint and working plan for the rural medical assistance.
Sources noted that the central government will support the growth of medical assistance through special transfer payments, and local governments will also increase their funding for medical assistance.
To date, the medical assistance program has been carried out in several areas of China, including Shanghai, the country's biggest commercial and financial center, which allocated 8.54 million yuan (1.03 million US dollars) for medical aid for its rural residents in 2002.
(People's Daily February 21, 2003)
