China to Spend US$460m on Medical Equipment

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, August 03, 2003

China to Spend US$460m on Medical Equipment

The Health Ministry announced that China will spend US$460 million to update the country's public healthcare system over the next two years.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Health Ministry announced that China will spend US$460 million to update the country's public healthcare system over the next two years.

Most of the money will go towards buying medical equipment, Zhao Zilin, China's health ministry official in charge of financing told a news briefing.

One hundred million dollars will be spent this year and a further 361 million next year, Zhao said.

Of this year's outlay, 35 million is earmarked for the country's national network for disease control, which played a pivotal role in tackling Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed 349 people and infected more than 5,000.

At the height of the epidemic, Beijing built a completely new 1,000-bed hospital on the city's outskirts in barely a week.

The Health Ministry admitted that there are much to be done to improve public healthcare systme.

Premier Wen Jiabao said last week that over the next three years China would establish a disease control system and a mechanism to handle public emergencies.

Zhao said the country would also purchase 1,060 new emergency vehicles, advanced medical equipment for Beijing hospitals and millions of dollars worth of hepatitis B vaccine.

The ministry will also overhaul its purchasing of parts for medical equipment.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Taiwan Ties Mar Japan's China Interests: News Analysis ( 36 Messages)

Shortage of Electric Power, an Ordeal for China's Economy ( 4 Messages)

Using "E-mail" Concerns Chinese Purification & National Dignity? ( 22 Messages)

US, China Co-operate to Fight Taiwan Referendum Plan ( 3 Messages)

60 Chinese Senior Officials to Be Trained in Harvard University ( 3 Messages)