Children without Beijing Hukou to Get Free Check-ups

Beijing started offering free health check-ups to children under six-year-old who have Beijing Hukou, or resident permit in June 2009. This year the city will include all children in Beijing aged 0 to 6.

Yingying has more.

Nanxi is a one and half year-old girl with a Beijing Hukou. She has been receiving free health check-ups since she was born. The check-ups include tests on height, weight, eyesight, skeletal and organic development, etc. NanXi's mother says thel examinations are very helpful.

"When Nanxi was just born, her figure was pretty big, but gradually she became shorter than other children. After receiving a health check-up, the doctor told us it's normal that every child have different stages of development. We felt relieved and didn't blindly feed her unnecessary nutrition."

Since June 2009, the free check-ups have only been available to children who have Beijing Hukou. Mao Yu, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, has announced that every child in Beijing with or without a Beijing Hukou will soon receive regular physical examinations for free.

"Parents can dial 12320 or log on Beijing Municipal Health Bureau's website to inquire about nearby health care centers. Children can get free check-ups there, which include medical and oral examinations, auditory and visual tests, blood and intelligence screening and health assessment."

Mao Yu says that offering free health check-ups to children under six-year-old was listed under the city's basic public health service project. In 2010, more than 440,000 children received free check-ups, accounting for nearly 96% of the city's children population who have Beijing Hukou.

Ren Xia, an attending doctor at a maternal and child service center in Shijingshan District, says there are four diseases common among children who have received the check-ups.

"Nutritional diseases such as iron-deficiency anemia and obesity are common problems. Oral diseases and poor eyesight are also frequently discovered."

Children who have been diagnosed with an illness are sent to designated hospitals to get treatment, and further examinations are also followed up.

Jin Chunhua, from the Capital Institute of Pediatrics, says regular examinations can provide greater understanding of a child's health.

"Children aged 0 to 6 are in the most important period of growth. During this period, their immune system and behavior are developing fast. The health check-up can help discover abnormal situations which can be treated in a timely manner."

Jin Chunhua adds that the health check-ups conducted at health care centers in local communities will ease the burden on general and pediatric hospitals which have been overburdened with too many patients.

For CRI, I'm Yingying.