Bama boosts poverty alleviation efforts in health

Bama Yao autonomous county in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has been boosting its poverty alleviation efforts in the field of health in recent years.

A medical treatment alliance, consisting of 11 township health centers and three county-level hospitals, has been set up in the county. Family doctor services, including regular visits, referrals, reimbursement, and chronic disease rehabilitation, are also being provided for residents in the county.

This year, the county organized health promotion activities in almost all the villages in its area, involving more than 130,000 people and furthering enhance public awareness of health.

A system integrating critical illness insurance, basic medical insurance, and medical assistance was also established in the county. The 90,151 impoverished people in the county who are eligible for medical insurance have a 100 percent rate of joining insurance programs

The one-stop system applied in the county allows registered impoverished patients to pay their own part of expenses, with the remaining part settled in the system, making it more convenient for people to see a doctor.

By Dec 15, a total of 6,682 registered impoverished people applied for their reimbursement, with an actual reimbursement rate of 90.3 percent. The actual reimbursement rate is 80.38 percent for the treatment of 2,123 special chronic diseases.

In addition, more than 1.3 million yuan ($185,447.38) was used to newly build or renovate 19 village clinics. The goal that every administrative village in Bama would have a standardized village clinic has been basically realized.

Doctors were also equipped in proportion to the population of each village, aiming to prevent people from falling into or returning to poverty due to illnesses.