CRI听力：Chinese Gov't Capable to Guarantee Investment for Health Care Reform

Anchor: China plans to spend the bulk of its massive medical stimulus package in improving its health care services at the grassroots level. The country will also set up an essential health care system to make medical services more accessible and affordable to the public. Zheng Chenguang has the details.

Reporter:
At a press conference on Wednesday, Vice minister of finance Wang Jun said the 850 billion yuan investment plan announced by the State Council or the cabinet earlier this year, will largely be spent in the middle and western regions of the country over the next three years to ensure fairness and equity of medical services.

"Forty percent of the money will be granted by the central government, the rest will be supplied by local governments. The investment will be made in full and on time because we assessed the strength of the government's financial capacity when drafting the reform plan."

He said supervising sectors will also make every effort to ensure proper use of the money.
The Chinese government on sday announced that it will institute an essential medical system within three years to drive down prescription costs and respond to complaints from the public of limited accessibility to affordable health care.

The system includes a list of essential medicines that would be produced and distributed under government control and supervision. Officials say the list is expected to be issued later this month.

Vice minister of health Zhang Mao said together with the health care system, more government effort will be put into helping the people enjoy more accessible and affordable medical services.

"The core of the medical reform is that we provide a primary health care system as a public service for all Chinese. Through increased government input, lowering of people's personal-spending on medicine and treatment fees, we will provide effective, convenient and affordable medical services for the public."

According to an action plan for the country's medical reform released on Tuesday, China will set up at least one clinic in every village within three years to improve the health care at the grassroots level.

In dealing with shortages of medical staff in underdeveloped rural areas, China has also pledged to offer about 1.9 million training sessions for village and township medical clinics and urban community medical institutions over the next three years.

Zheng Chenguang, CRI news