People in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, who are suffering from a serious illness or injury but cannot afford to pay for treatment now stand a chance thanks to the set-up of a 10-million-yuan emergency relief fund.

The fund is raised by the financial input and social contributions. The municipal finance bureau and Wuhan health and family planning commission are responsible for managing the fund, which allows any hospital caring for a patient who can’t afford the medical expenses to apply for relief from the emergency fund. The request for funds will be audited by the municipal administration, public security and civil affairs offices and should okay the payment within 15 working days.