Private resthomes have taken off in China over recent years, in a further development of the social welfare system, according to the China Resthome Director Forum which opened in Beijing on Tuesday.
Latest statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs show that by the end of 2001 private resthomes of varying types totaled 36,000, while government-run resthomes numbered only 2,700.
Private resthomes accounted for more than 90 percent of the country's total, and over 80 percent of overall beds.
Some problems still hinder resthome development, including protecting aged people's rights, caretakers' professional training and funding issues. With China's entry into the World Trade Organization, how to adapt to international rules in the resthome industry has also become a hot issue.
The forum, jointly sponsored by the China Charity Federation and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. (HSBC), invited more than 100 directors from 90 resthomes in 30 provinces and autonomous regions throughout the country, to discuss challenges and opportunities for private resthomes in China.
HSBC has made donations totaling 7.5 million yuan (US$900,000) so far to more than 70 resthomes across China.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2002)
