China Urged to Do More to Better Maternal and Infant Health

China is stepping up efforts to improve its maternal and infant health conditions. As the country promises to improve equitable access to essential healthcare for all, it has been urged to do more to improve maternal and child healthcare in rural areas. Tu Yun reports.

REPORTER:

A recent report from the United Nations Children's Fund shows around seven thousand women die in childbirth in China each year, down nearly 60 percent from the 1990 level.

Li Xikui, director of Funds Department of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation is having an interview by CRI reporters.[Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM]

But Li Xikui with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation says the situation could still be improved.

"Problems mainly exist in western China. Women in those poor areas rarely take basic maternity examinations. Some women give birth at home instead of in hospital. Some even deliver in a horse stall. That raises the risks during delivery."

The UN Children's Fund has said China's maternal and infant death rates are still far higher than those of developed countries, and also higher than some other developing countries like Vietnam.

Moreover, there's a big gap between urban and rural areas in terms of maternal and infant health.

The China Soong Ching Ling Foundation has just received a donation of 5 million US dollars from New Zealand's Fonterra, the world's biggest exporter of dairy products. Henry van der Heyden is Fonterra Chairman ( L) and  Li Ning (R) ,secretary-general of Soong Ching Ling Foundation. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM]

According to statistics, women in rural China are one and half times more likely to die during childbirth than those in urban areas. Infant and child mortality in western areas is around two and half times higher than in eastern regions.

"Village clinics in those areas lack basic apparatus such as type-B ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. It makes maternity checks very difficult. Quite a number of clinics don't have an ambulance. It could put two lives in danger when a woman has a difficult delivery."

The China Soong Ching Ling Foundation began a program four years ago to help upgrade maternal and infant healthcare services in western China.

Li Xikui calls for the greater participation of society.

"I hope more enterprises can join us. Five yuan can turn into a maternity knowledge pamphlet. 50 yuan is enough for a pregnant woman to have a medical check. 500 yuan can ensure a woman has basic medicine during maternity period. 5,000 yuan is enough to train a village doctor. And a clinic can have an ambulance with 50,000 yuan. That's around 7,000 US dollars."

The foundation has just received a donation of 5 million US dollars from New Zealand's Fonterra, the world's biggest exporter of dairy products.

Henry van der Heyden is Fonterra Chairman.

"Over the next five years, our joint program will provide medical equipment and training to health workers in remote rural communities."

The program will focus on north China's Hebei Province in the first year.

Tu Yun, CRI news.