On June 18, the office of the State Council held a videoconference to launch six major public health service programs.

The six major public health service programs are as follows:

The first program aims at giving booster shots of the Hepatitis B vaccine to those under the age of 15. According to the plan, the Hepatitis B vaccination will be given to all non-immune people born between 1994 and 2001 nationwide within three years.

The second is a screening program for breast and cervical cancers for women in rural areas. By completing a screening for breast and cervical cancers for these women, the rate of early detection and treatment will be increased, thereby reducing the death rate.

The third program aims to supplement folic acid as to prevent neural tube defects. Folic acid will be offered for free to rural women before pregnancy and in early pregnancy nationwide.

The fourth is a “program aimed at helping millions of impoverished Chinese patients cure cataracts.” Within three years, operations will be performed nationwide on impoverished cataract sufferers who either already have cataracts or develop cataracts during the period, to help them regain their sight. Efforts will be made to perform timely surgery on every impoverished cataract sufferer who meets the conditions.

The fifth is a program aimed at eliminating coal-burning endemic fluorosis in six provinces including Guizhou and Yunnan. It will speed up the process that enables all the coal-burning stoves in endemic fluorosis hit regions will be replaced.

The sixth is a program aimed at renovating water supply and lavatories in rural areas. It plans to complete the renovation for 4.11 million households in 2009. At the same time, the safety of drinking water will be ensured.

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