China to merge health ministry, family planning commission

BEIJING - China plans to set up a national health and family planning commission through merging the existing Health Ministry with the National Population and Family Planning Commission, according to a report to be delivered by State Councilor Ma Kai to the annual session of the country's top legislature on Sunday.

The integration of the two ministerial-level departments aims to better uphold the basic national policy of family planning, improve medical care service, and deepen the institutional reform of medical care and public health, says the report on the State Council institutional reform and transformation of government functions.

It also aims to optimize the resources allocation of medical care and public health as well as family planning services, improve the health of the people including the newborns, the report says.

The proposed national health and family planning commission will be responsible for planning the resources allocation of medical care and public health as well as family planning services, establishing basic medicine system, forming China's family planning policy, and supervising, administering the services of public health, medical care and family planning, the report says.

The functions of studying and drawing up population development strategy and population policy of the existing National Population and Family Planning Commission will be transferred to the existing National Development and Reform Commission, the report says.

The existing State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, currently affiliated with the Health Ministry, will be administered by the proposed national health and family planning commission, the report says.

After the reform, China will adhere to and improve the family planning policy, the report says.