国内英语新闻:China mulls law to boost basic healthcare services

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- A draft law aiming to boost basic healthcare and raise health awareness was put before China's top legislature Monday.

Coming back for a second reading at the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the draft law includes more provisions on empowering grassroots medical institutions and channeling more resources to the grassroots.

The country should give priority to developing community-level healthcare facilities and better supporting medical workers in local communities and poor remote areas, the draft said.

To address problems laid bare by recent vaccine scandals, the draft added provisions to strengthen the management of medicines and impose a compulsory vaccination program where children must present proof of vaccination when enrolling in kindergartens and schools.

Cases involving deaths, severe disabilities or organ damage resulting from adverse vaccination reactions should be compensated, it added.

To better ensure medicine quality, a traceability system will be established. The country should set up a coordination mechanism for the development, production, circulation, use, evaluation and regulation of medicines, the draft said.

The country should also establish a medicine price monitoring system, the draft said.

The draft law also touched on the ever-straining relationship between medical workers and patients. It clarified legal responsibility of making disturbances at medical institutions, saying that no one shall threaten or endanger the safety of medical staff and no one should violate their dignity.

The draft called for a multi-tiered diagnosis and treatment system, and promoting the practices of hiring family physician to provide services on contract.

It also said improvement in people's main health indicators would be included in the evaluation system for local governments.