Woman's death sparks call for gov't aid to poor
Updated: 2007-12-10 22:55
In Beijing, a normal spontaneous delivery in a hospital will cost about 5,000 yuan, while a Caesarean will cost about 7,000 yuan.
Xiao said that he had consulted government departments about receiving free delivery service but had not found any policy to assist mothers-to-be such as Li.
The Chinese government has launched a basic health insurance network for urban residents, but migrant workers do not qualify as they are not permanent residents.
"We have seen that there are few effective channels to help the poor when they have serious diseases," Mao said.
Hospitals, especially public hospitals, have a responsibility to save lives, he said. But about 10 billion yuan worth of fee-for-service at public hospitals had not been paid by the end of last year.
A government foundation would help solve the problem, he said, adding that hospitals and the foundation could share the task to help the poor.
Li's death raised a controversy among the media and the public about whether the hospital should have performed surgery without the permission of the husband, given the seriousness of the woman's condition.
The Beijing municipal health department said on Nov. 28 that its own investigation had found that the hospital had acted in accordance with relevant codes.
The hospital said at a press conference on Nov. 24 that Li and her child were in critical condition when seen at the hospital and that a Caesarean operation had been required.
The doctors had clearly explained the situation to the husband and spent three hours trying to persuade him and promising free surgery, it said.
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