By 2020, each resident in Dongguan will have access to basic medical services and the key health indicators of residents will approach that in developed nations. Dongguan put forward its medical reform objective for the first time during a conference held last Friday (Aug.27).
According to Mr. Li Yuquan, the Mayor of Dongguan, the deepening health system reform in the city has a good foundation as the basic medical insurance has covered the whole city with 5.92 million contributors. The rural medicare system is gradually improved with 364 community health service institutions established. The investment in medicare is also increasing. 580 million yuan has been allocated to support the construction of community health organizations while 2.28 billion yuan to support the construction of the new People's Hospital, No.3 People's Hospital, the new Maternity and Children's Healthcare Hospital, the new Hospital of Chinese Traditional Medicine, and the city's Centers for Disease Control Prevention. In 2009, a fiscal budget of 0.87 billion yuan was channeled toward medical care.
The primary objective and task for medical reform in Dongguan was put forward clearly for the first time during the conference, i.e. to establish and improve a basic health system covering both city and countryside residents, to provide safe, effective, convenient and affordable basic medical and health service for the community.
The whole process of medical reform is expected to last 10 years. By 2010, every resident in Dongguan will have access to basic medical services and the key health indicators of residents is expected to approach those levels currently recorded by developed nations.
According to an incomplete estimation, both the city and township finances will invest around 5.3 billion yuan in medical reform from 2009 to 2011. Mayor Li emphasizes that the two levels should be decisive to increase the portion of expenditure on medical service and strengthen the supervision management on the medical reform budget.
(By Tan Jing)
