Top ten health news in China in 2008： Sanlu infant milk powder incident was selected.

　　Beijing, January 12 (Xinhua) This morning, the Ministry of Health held a regular press conference. Spokesman Mao Qunan announced the top ten health news in 2008:

　　First, remarkable achievements have been made in earthquake relief and medical and health work.

　　After the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake, the health department quickly launched the level 1 health emergency response mechanism, and dispatched a total of 110,000 medical workers from all over the country to the front line of earthquake relief to carry out medical and epidemic prevention work in an all-round way. More than 4.369 million injured and sick people were treated, 39,689 operations were performed, 91,177 hospitalized patients were hospitalized, and 10,048 wounded people were transferred to 20 provinces, cities and districts, minimizing the mortality and disability rate; To achieve full coverage of health and epidemic prevention and health supervision in counties, townships and villages, and to achieve the goal of no major epidemic after the disaster; Conscientiously implement the task of medical and health counterpart support, and basically restore the normal medical and health service order in the disaster areas.

　　Second, the task of medical and health care for the Olympic Games was successfully completed.

　　During the Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympics, the health department effectively undertook the task of medical and health security. The health department acted quickly, worked hard in unity, did its duty, and went all out to ensure that there were no major infectious diseases, public health emergencies and major food poisoning incidents in cities in each competition area, and implemented effective emergency treatment for the injured and made positive contributions to the goal of hosting a successful Olympic Games.

　　Third, the "Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Medical and Health System" is open to the public for comments.

　　Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, sixteen departments, including the Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Health, formulated the Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Medical and Health System on the basis of extensive and in-depth investigation and study, and publicly solicited opinions from the society on October 15th, which aroused great concern and enthusiastic response from all walks of life and received more than 200,000 specific opinions and suggestions from all sides. The revised "Opinions" and "Five Key Reform Implementation Plans for Medical and Health System Reform" will be issued in the near future.

　　Fourth, the Ministry of Health held a seminar on implementing Scientific Outlook on Development’s emancipation of the mind.

　　In order to promote the national health system to thoroughly study and practice Scientific Outlook on Development activities, the Ministry of Health held a seminar on the implementation of Scientific Outlook on Development Emancipating the Mind in Beijing on November 12-13, 2008. In close connection with deepening the reform of the medical and health system, the meeting held a great discussion on emancipating the mind on major issues such as the direction, objectives, tasks, ways and basic approaches of the development of health in China. Members of the leading party group of the Ministry of Health, including Minister Chen Zhu and some provincial and municipal health directors, combined with the actual health work, exchanged the results of emancipating the mind and the experience of studying and practicing Scientific Outlook on Development on deepening the reform of the medical and health system and realizing the scientific development of health undertakings. After the news of this meeting was reported, it caused great repercussions in the health system and even in the world.

　　Fifth, the health department will do its best to deal with the Sanlu infant milk powder incident.

　　After the Sanlu brand infant milk powder incident, the state launched a first-class emergency response to major food safety accidents, and the health department organized free screening and diagnosis of infants and medical treatment for children. By the end of December 2008, 22.401 million people had been screened free of charge, 296,000 children had been reported, 52,898 people had been hospitalized, and 52,582 people had been cured and discharged. At the same time, the Ministry of Health earnestly fulfilled the comprehensive coordination function of food safety, and worked with relevant departments to do a good job in emergency handling of Sanlu brand infant milk powder incident, find out the cause of the accident, strengthen supervision and inspection of dairy products, and improve product quality.

　　Sixth, the new rural cooperative medical system has achieved the goal of basically covering rural residents two years ahead of schedule.

　　By September 30, 2008, there were 2729 counties and cities in China to carry out the new rural cooperative medical system. The population participating in the new rural cooperative medical system was 814 million, with a participation rate of 91.5%, which achieved the goal of "the new rural cooperative medical system should basically cover rural residents" proposed by the central government two years ahead of schedule. The level of security continued to improve, and the management system continued to improve. The new rural cooperative medical system has played an active role in reducing farmers’ disease burden and improving farmers’ health level.

　　Seventh, remarkable progress has been made in the reform of health institutions.

　　The institutional reform plan of the State Council has been determined, and the State Food and Drug Administration will be managed by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health is responsible for the comprehensive coordination of food safety, organizing the investigation and handling of major food safety accidents, and taking the lead in establishing a comprehensive coordination mechanism for food safety. The Ministry of Health has added the Department of Medical Service Supervision and the Department of Drug Policy and Essential Drug System to strengthen medical service supervision and the construction of essential drug system. Straighten out the local food and drug supervision system, change the vertical management below the provincial level to hierarchical management by local governments, and accept the guidance and supervision of the superior competent department and the health department at the same level. This reform has taken an important step in integrating medical and health resources, exploring the system reform of large departments and strengthening the coordination mechanism between departments.

　　Eighth, positive progress has been made in the prevention and control of major diseases.

　　Around World AIDS Day in 2008, Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao and other central leading comrades went deep into the grassroots to inspect AIDS prevention and control work, which promoted the progress of prevention and control work. The State Council has decided to expand the scope of planned immunization to prevent and control infectious diseases from 7 to 15, and vaccinate suitable people free of charge. In the face of the hand, foot and mouth disease epidemic in Fuyang and other places in Anhui Province, the health department immediately organized the implementation of epidemic prevention and control and medical treatment, which won unanimous praise from the international community.

　　Ninth, the 45th anniversary of the dispatch of China Foreign Aid Medical Team.

　　2008 marks the 45th anniversary of China’s dispatch of foreign aid medical teams. In 1963, China sent the first foreign aid medical team to Algeria, which opened a new chapter in China’s medical assistance to developing countries. As of June 2008, China has sent foreign aid medical teams to 69 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Oceania, with a total of 20,679 medical team members and 260 million medical treatments, which has been respected and welcomed by the governments and people of recipient countries.

　　Tenth, two major scientific and technological projects, namely, major drug innovation and prevention and treatment of major infectious diseases such as AIDS and viral hepatitis, were successfully launched.

　　According to the National Medium-and Long-term and Scientific and Technological Development Program 2006-2020, the Ministry of Health organized and implemented the major scientific and technological projects of "major new drugs" and "prevention and treatment of major infectious diseases such as AIDS and viral hepatitis" in July 2008. By the end of November, the establishment of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan has been basically completed. These two major projects have deployed 1,161 research tasks and arranged nearly 10 billion scientific research funds. It will play an important role in improving the prevention and control ability of major infectious diseases and the independent research and innovation ability of new drugs in China.

Editor: Li Xiuwei