Health Care for Elderly StressedChina's Ministry of Health recently vowed to strengthen overall health care of its elderly.According to Yin Dakui, vice minister of Health, China will continue to establish a nationwide health care system for the aged and solve the hospitalization problem, as well as deepen reform of the state's health system. He stressed that the community health system should be further developed. Meanwhile, hospitals should expand medical services, such as opening clinics or wards particularly for the elderly and providing convenient health care for them. Yin said grass-roots health network for the aged in rural areas should be further developed as quickly as possible. According to a survey conducted in 1998, chronic diseases incidence of aged people is 3.2 times higher than the average rate, among which tumors, diabetes, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases and mental illness are most common. Up till now, the population of people over 60 in China has reached 126 million. |
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