China's Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday that the country will inject 30 billion yuan ($4.6 billion) this year to fund basic public health services.

Qin Huaijin, director of Women/Children Health and Community Health Department under the MOH, said at a press conference that the funds will be used to upgrade 10 programs and offer more free health services for the public.

The new programs will provide basic health care services such as regular physical examinations and vaccinations for all children under the age of 6, while the previous services only benefited children under 3, Qin said.

Under the government-funded programs, each child can have a total of 13 free basic health services at grassroots clinics until they turn 6. Services include growth evaluation and guidance for children's growth.

Any child under 6 can have 14 types of vaccinations free of charge.

The programs also offer free services to pregnant women and people over 65, such as regular and comprehensive physical examinations, according to Qin.

Pregnant women can have a total of five visits for free health care services prior to delivery, which includes a comprehensive physical examination consisting of a gynecology examination and blood and urine tests.

Individuals over 65 are eligible for one free health care visit each year, which includes a health assessment and a comprehensive physical examination.

Qin emphasized that the above-basic health care services would benefit all of the public, including migrant workers and their families.

Moreover, the funds will also be used to improve the food safety monitoring system of grassroots medical institutions in communities, villages and towns, who will report food-related health incidents to authorities immediately.

"To find and report food safety information will be a major duty of grassroots medical institutions because they have more contact with everyday people," Qin said.

In April 2009, China unveiled a three-year plan for national health care reform with an investment of at least 850 billion yuan ($128 billion) and an emphasis on the nature of public benefits.

The government announced it would increase the per capita funding for basic public health services from 15 yuan to 25 yuan this year.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2011)