A program to expand community medical care services will provide
better and more affordable treatment to city residents.
This was the message from a State Council conference over the
weekend, which mapped out guidelines to develop neighborhood urban
health centers across the country.
President Hu Jintao
and Premier Wen
Jiabao called on local authorities and health departments to
step up efforts on community health work and make it easier for
residents to seek medical treatment.
Vice Premier Wu Yi
told the meeting that it was important to tap the limited medical
resources and make it easier for patients to see doctors.
Development of health work should take into full account
people's practical problems and try best to provide them with
convenient and cheaper medical services, the vice premier said.
A systematic network involving medical insurance, production and
distribution of medicines, medical aid and education should be
improved, she said.
China has 3,400 community medical service centers and nearly
12,000 community clinics in its cities, according to the Ministry
of Health.
Such health centers provide basic medical service in the
neighborhoods, especially for elderly and disabled people and
patients with chronic diseases.
Residents are encouraged to visit these centers before they
flock to big hospitals.
"Patients with chronic illnesses need long-term care and stable
service, and we can provide them," Yang Zhenwei, head of Jianwai
Community Medical Station in Beijing, said yesterday.
The station has two physicians and three nurses; and treats
about 40 patients a day.
"We plan to improve our facilities with government funds and
prolong working hours to make it more convenient for residents,"
Yang said.
According to Mao Qun'an, spokesman for the Ministry of Health,
the current community health services cannot cope with demand.
Many patients do not trust the service provided by community
health centers and make a beeline for big hospitals even for minor
illnesses.
So the government needs to assure the public that the clinics
provide almost the same basic medical care as big hospitals, in
addition to added services like disease prevention and family
planning guidance, Mao said.
He said it is important to ensure that these clinics are for
public welfare rather than private profits, adding "it's a huge
challenge."
A comprehensive community health service system is expected to
be in place by 2010 in all major Chinese cities.
(China Daily February 28, 2006)