Needy cancer suffers, especially in impoverished rural areas, should receive free treatment financed by the state, according to a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
The conference is China's top advisory body to the National People's Congress, the legislature.
"For some Chinese farmers, getting cancer can be like getting a death sentence. The government is responsible for changing this situation," said Li Guo'an, a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC that convened yesterday in Beijing.
"Under the current medicare system in the country, it is not rare for a person who contracts a major disease like cancer to spend his or her life savings on treating the disease.
"Many are forced to choose giving up treatment, just waiting for death," said Li, an army representative on the advisory body.
Li submitted a proposal on state-funded assistance to needy cancer patients yesterday to the fourth annual full session of the CPPCC National Committee.
Li said China now has 1.8 million cancer patients. "Even if 1 million of them need assistance and the state pays 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) each for their annual treatment, the total budget will be around 10 billion yuan, which should be affordable given the soaring state revenue," he said.
China provides free treatment to poor HIV/AIDS sufferers.
(Xinhua)