社会热点英语话题 05

 　　China's healthcare system searching for remedy
In 2003, the average annual income for China's 800 million rural population was 2,622 yuan (328 U.S. dollars) while the average medical expenses were 2,236 yuan (280 U.S.dollars), according to the Ministry¹ of Health in 2004.
The latest national health survey in 2003 revealed that about 73 percent of people in rural areas who should have sought medical treatment chose not to do so because of the cost.
In urban areas, the figure was 64 percent. As China's socioeconomic system moves increasingly market-oriented and the role of the government as a provider of public services diminishes, the country's health care system, traditionally one of the core elements of Chinese socialism, is suffering.
The health care system is dominated by pay-per-service care, notes Ge Yanfeng, deputy director of the Department of Social Development with the Development and Research Center (DRC) of the State Council. "Patients have to pay for treatment out of their own pockets with large differences in quality and access among income groups and between rural and urban populations," he said.
But the government has failed to establish a viable² substitute. Almost 90 percent of the rural population has no health insurance. The urban population isn't much better off. Nearly 60 percent of city dwellers³ are not covered by health insurance, according to the Ministry of Health.
Eighty percent of government funding in urban areas is only used by 8.5 million people, mainly officials at various levels, revealed a report by the China Academy of Sciences. Possessing the fourth largest economy in the world, China ranks 188th of the 191 member countries of the World Health Organization in the fairness of its medical resources distribution.
"China's health care reforms have turned hospitals into clubs for the rich," said a 2005 report released by the Development Research Center (DRC) of the State Council, which concluded the reform "unsuccessful". "It's a market failure," said Li Ling, professor at Beijing University's China Center for Economic Research.
"It is not right. The economy is growing, people have more disposable income, but medicine costs are rising even faster." "Indeed, since doctors and hospitals rely more on profits, they have come to rely on medicine sales for the bulk of their revenues." Ge Yanfeng of DRC noted⁴ that 5 to 20 percent of medical staff salaries are provided by the government, while 80 to 95 percent has to be gained from patients.
"This leads to a tendency to overprescribe medicines, which can carry public health risks," He said. The business of peddling⁵ medicines to hospitals has also bred corruption⁶, with many hospitals accepting kickbacks⁷ from drug companies.
To quell⁸ rising medicine prices, China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has issued its 19th medicine price cap at the end of this August, which involves 99 antimicrobial drugs. It is estimated that the annual saving from the price cut for patients can reach 4.3 billion yuan (about 538 million dollars).
However, critics also argued that the cuts may not provide a cure. Prof. Li Ling observed. "They are far from a quick-fix solution, and could even exasperate⁹ the tendency to overprescribe, " she said.
She said the previous price cuts only resulted in some drug manufacturers ratcheting up prices after altering product names and packaging. Some hospitals and clinics raise the costs of medical services, turned a blind eye to government standards or even turned down low-priced drugs.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

3 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 peddling   

忙于琐事的，无关紧要的

参考例句：

• He worked as a door-to-door salesman peddling cloths and brushes. 他的工作是上门推销抹布和刷子。
• "If he doesn't like peddling, why doesn't he practice law? "要是他不高兴卖柴火，干吗不当律师呢？

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 kickbacks   

n.激烈反应( kickback的名词复数 )；佣金，回扣

参考例句：

• Everyone at City Hall is receiving kickbacks. It's the only way to get anything done there. 市政府里的每个人都收回扣，在那里只有送红包，事情才办得成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• G raft or kickbacks paid to officials or law enforcem ent authorities. 暗中付给官员或执法人员的回扣。 来自互联网

8 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

9 exasperate   

v.激怒，使（疾病）加剧，使恶化

参考例句：

• He shouted in an exasperate voice.他以愤怒的声音嚷着。
• The sheer futility of it all exasperates her.它毫无用处，这让她很生气。