Source: CCTV.com

05-05-2006 15:46

China has never faced a bigger task than providing a sound health care system for its nearly one billion farmers. Market reforms have seen the rural population struggling to maintain basic medicare benefits. Now, a new cooperative system is giving Chinese farmers a chance of better health care.

Xianfeng County is one of the nation's poorest areas.

68-year-old Yang Jingan lives off the land.

With 9 people in the family, he earns 1,000 US dollars a year. He's among the better off, but that doesn't mean life is easy.

His wife suffers from chronic stomach disease. Hospitalization costs several hundred dollars.

Yang said: "Life is really difficult. Despite bad health, we have to pull through with our children."

But Yang is still one of the lucky ones. He has a big family and a stable income.

For many others in Xianfeng, going to the county hospital is a luxury.

They make do at township clinics, knowing they can't expect too much.

Back in 1958, China created a system for basic medical care in the countryside. Barefoot doctors went from door to door. But the system faded in the 1980's when rural reform took place.

Zou Yue, Xianfeng County of Hubei said: "Without a suitable medical care system for the farmers, there won't be a stable countryside for China. But creating such a system has never been and will not be an easy task for the country with a rural population of nearly 1 billion people."

Starting in 2004, Xianfeng began a cooperative medical care system.

Annual coverage is a dollar and 20 cents for each family member. With another 4 dollars from the government, the program covers part of the clinic and hospital bills.

Yang said: "The plan is good. It reduces the burden of medical costs. Otherwise, it would be back to poverty for many."

So far, Yang's been reimbursed for 200 dollars. And there are plans to increase the rate.

But convincing farmers to sign up isn't always easy. Not even for the secretary of the CPC Xianfeng County Committee, Liu Fangzhen, himself a farmer's son.

Liu said: "The difficult part is to make farmers believe in the new system. With our promotion efforts, especially after farmers see real benefits, over 80 percent of the farmers in the county have joined."

In one year, the central and local governments have invested over one and half million dollars in the Xianfeng plan.

And China is planning to have the whole countryside under the system by 2008.

For Yang's family and many like them, affordable health care is getting closer.

 

Editor:Chen Minji