The Associated Press tracks the progress in rebuilding the health system in China, eight months after the government launched a three-year $124-billion health care program.
The article outlines the goals of the program - including the building of new hospitals and clinics, an expansion of state health insurance and a reduction in drug costs - as well as some of the challenges that may lie ahead.
"Eight months into the … plan, reform remains a work in progress. Sixty percent of the funding is supposed to come from regional governments, and it's unclear how poorer ones will come up with the money," the news service writes. "The central government has laid out a broad strategy but left specifics to local officials. The result is a series of experiments. While learning by doing is fine, there appears to be little formal evaluation of these trials, which may make it difficult to pinpoint what works, said [John] Langenbrunner of the World Bank." The article includes details on several programs underway in China aimed at improving access to health services (Wong, 11/29).