Health and Safety in China

The Ministry of Health has the responsibility of overseeing the public health system of the People’s Republic of China. Its strategy has been focused on preventive medicines rather than passive. Various programs are intended to provide personal health care, free use of medical equipment and access to financial resources.

By the end of 2005, China has about 1,938,000 physicians (1.5 per 1,000 persons) and almost 3,075,000 hospital beds (2.4 per 1,000 persons). The fertility rate of China is 1.8 children per woman while the child mortality rate is 25.3 per 1,000 live births. In 2001, China had spent 5.5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to health expenditures. The same period, 37.2% of all public expenses were incurred to support health care. Still, access to such health services and other medical aids are concentrated in cities.

China has one of the oldest histories in medicinal treatment. The traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, acupressure and herbal treatments has existed for more than 2,000 years. While it is still a foremost part of Chinese health care, western medicine has gained significant popularity and improvements over the decades. In 1981, it is reported that more senior physicians were trained in western medicine versus traditional Chinese medicine.

As of 2002, 92% of the population of urban areas has access to a better water supply and 68% for the rural population. The sanitation of China has also improved with 69% of the urban people and 29% from rural regions have more dependable facilities. In 1950, the Patriotic Health Campaign was initiated to further the cleanliness and sanitation in China.