The NHFPC held a national video conference for disease emergency fund application and payment work on Oct 13 to sum up the development of local disease emergency aid work and make deployments for the next stage. Ma Xiaowei, vice-minister of the NHFPC, was present and delivered a speech. Officials from the social assistance division of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the social security division of the Ministry of Finance, and the medical insurance division of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security attended the meeting.

Ma Xiaowei pointed out that all regions should fully understand the significance of disease emergency rescue work. Establishing and carrying out disease emergency rescue mechanisms is an important part of improving the health care system and consolidating the medical security system, as well as a major measure to give attention to the disadvantaged and promote social harmony, stability, fairness and justice. It reflects the achievements in strengthening Party style construction and enhancing “Mass Line” education practice.

Ma Xiaowei stressed that all regions have made certain progress after institutional improvement and preparation for more than a year and should focus on standardizing rescue fund application and use to bring benefits to patients as soon as possible. Ma made five proposals. First, all parties should actively treat acute or seriously injured patients. All medical institutions and personnel should rescue patients in time and can’t refuse, evade or delay treatment on any grounds. Second, all parties should standardize medical emergency aid practice. Medical institutions should follow the Standards of Acute and Serious Diseases That Need First Aid Service as well as relevant diagnosis and treatment norms to carry out standard, well-organized and effective medical emergency aid. Third, rescue fund use management should be strengthened. All regions should follow the Temporary Method of Disease Emergency Fund Management as well as the finance management system to make the best use of the money. Medical institutions at all levels should clarify departmental responsibilities and take care of the fund application and management. Fourth, all parties should finish fund inspection in prescribed time. The NHFPC issued a telegraph on Oct 10 proposing to carry out regular fund use inspection mechanisms. Application for rescue funds happened during last February and this year’s June 30 has to be applied during Oct 15 to Nov 5; application for fund during July to Nov this year should be applied during Dec 1-20. Fifth, all parties should coordinate various medical security systems. They need to stick to the bottom line, address emergencies, follow sustainable policy, and link systems to form joint forces. They should link up disease emergency aid and basic medical insurance, serious illness insurance and medical assistance systems. They should strengthen linkage and complementation in policy, technology and service management, as well as the connection between disease emergency relief, charity and social forces.

At the meeting, officials from health and family planning commissions in Henan and Qinghai introduced their work experience. Officials from the NHFPC’s General Office, Department of Finance, Department of Law and Legislation, Health Emergency Response Office, Bureau of Inspection and Supervision, Press and Publicity Department, and Supervisory Bureau stationed at the NHFPC attended the meeting. Branch conferences were held across 31 provinces (districts and cities), as well as Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, all connected by video signal. Officials from the Health and Family Planning Commission, national third-level hospitals and some second-level hospitals sat in on the meeting.