In October, central authorities pledged in an outlined 11th Five-Year development program, a blueprint for China's economic and scientific development in the 2006-2010 period, to work hard to provide affordable medical care to all people.

Gao Qiang re-underscored early this month that the purpose of medical institutions is to "serve the people" rather than "making money", which is regarded by critics as an indication that the government is getting tougher with reining back profit-hungry hospitals.

In fact, Hubei Province in central China, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces in east China, and some other provinces started trials of low-cost hospitals before Beijing set up Shangdi Hospital.

And the trial is likely to spread to elsewhere in the country.

As part of the Beijing municipal administration system reform, the Haidian District Public Service Committee was founded in July, which bring all public hospitals in the district under its management.

"The district government will make overall reform plans for the hospitals, fund them and subsidize their deficits. Hospitals' profit-making service items will be held in rein by the government," said Yu Xiaoqian, head of the committee.

Yu ascribed the establishment of Shangdi Hospital partially to the redefined government function in the management of public service sectors.

A second low-cost hospital is expected to open at the end of 2006 in Haidian, and a third one is likely to offer service specially to the local rural population in the ensuing year, Yu said.

China began reestablishing a rural cooperative medical care fund In 2002. Pilot programs have been initiated in 21 percent of its rural areas with a full coverage expected by 2010.

(Source: Xinhua)

Previous