China plans to boost social welfare and medical services for its
senior citizens as pressures of coping with an aging population
increase.
A national program on the aging population for
the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010) was issued by the
China National Committee on Aging with the approval of the State
Council on Thursday.
Li Bengong, a senior official with the committee, said that
although welfare payments and medical subsidies for retired people
have been significantly increased over the past five years, demand
has increased even more.
China's elderly population is expected to hit 174 million, or
12.78 percent of its entire population, by 2010, a big increase
from the current figure of 143 million.
According to the program, China will integrate more seniors in
poor areas into the rural cooperative medical care system and the
old-age pension system, and is committed to solving problems for
retired people with financial difficulties.
The pressure of the aging population in rural areas is very
noticeable. About 85.57 million old people in rural areas, 65.82
percent of the country's total, are not covered under the country's
social welfare system, nor do they have pensions or adequate
medical care.
China plans to increase the number of beds in homes for the
elderly by 800,000 in the cities and by 2.2 million in rural areas
over the next five years.
At present, China has 380,000 homes for the elderly with 1.2
million beds. This means that 1,000 elderly people compete for 8.6
beds, far less than the average 50 to 70 beds in developed
countries.
Under the program, governments at various levels are required to
increase financial support for infrastructure projects for elderly
people, as well as cultural and educational activities.
By 2010, 10,000 more seniors’ colleges and schools will be
built.
The central government will also encourage domestic private
enterprises and foreign capital to invest in services for the
elderly so as to optimize and diversify its investment
structure.
(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2006)