BEIJING, March 6 (UPI) -- Chinaese Premier Wen Jiabao promised Saturday to accelerate reform and development of health care in 2005, including disease prevention and emergency systems.
Speaking to delegates at the opening session of the annual full meeting of the National People's Congress Saturday, Wen said China will "work harder to prevent and control serious infectious diseases, endemic diseases and occupational diseases."
The premier, who has visited Chinese afflicted with the disease in a bid to break the spell of fear and discrimination against sufferers, told deputies "we will conscientiously implement measures related to AIDS prevention and the treatment and care of HIV carriers and AIDS patients to firmly stop the spread of AIDS."
Wen said the government will "carry out experimental reforms of the urban medical service system...strengthen urban community health services, and energetically develop traditional Chinese medicine."
"We will deepen the rectification and standardization of fees for medical services and prices for medicines to solve the problem of inadequate and overly expensive medical services," he said.
