With No Cases Reported, Guangdong Sets Up Bird Flu Treatment Fund

Описание: As of 5pm on Wednesday, at least 33 people have been infected with the H7N9 bird flu virus in China, with nine confirmed deaths. That's according to state-run Xinhua News Agency.

With the number of cases rising, some are concerned that there could be more infected people who have not sought medical help. In a country where medical expenses are mostly paid out of pocket, this may be true for poorer citizens who can't afford hospital treatment.

In Jiangsu province, the first H7N9 patient had spent more than $14,000 on treatment. The family still owes around $3,000 to the hospital.

A leading Chinese respiratory disease expert, Zhong Nanshang, said on Saturday that the Chinese government should cover the treatment cost for bird flu patients. Others agree.

[Pan Chengyu, Chinese Resident]
"A responsible government should take on these costs.

[Pan Chengyu, Chinese Resident]
"These are issues to do with the well-being of the public, the government should shoulder the cost."

And in at least one province this is starting to happen—but not where the virus has been reported. So far, all the cases have happened in eastern China, but 900 miles away, in southern Guangdong province, authorities say they have set up a fund for people infected with the H7N9 virus.

Guangdong authorities have managed to put aside almost $5 million dollars [text $4.83 million] for this fund, according to state-run China Daily. In addition to helping patients authorities apparently expect, the money will also be used for detecting the virus and developing vaccines. Just how the money will be managed has not been decided.

Thumbnail: A health worker checks a chick in a chicken farm in Rongan, southwest China's Guangxi province on April 9, 2013. China's bird flu outbreak is 'devastating' poultry sales, an industry group said on April 8. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Subscribe to NTDonChina
☛ http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c...
For more news and videos visit ☛ http://ntd.tv
Follow us on Twitter ☛   / ntdtelevision  
Add us on Facebook ☛ http://on.fb.me/s5KV2C