China to merge health ministry, family planning commission

BEIJING -- China plans to set up a national health and family planning commission by merging the existing Health Ministry with the National Population and Family Planning Commission, a top official said Sunday.

The integration of the two ministerial-level departments is aimed at better upholding the basic national family planning policy, improving medical and health care services and deepening institutional reform in the medical care and public health sectors, State Councilor Ma Kai said in a report to the country's national legislature.

"It also aims to optimize the resource allocation of medical care and public health services and that of family planning services, as well as improve the health of the people, including newborns," said Ma, who is also secretary-general of the State Council, in the report on the State Council institutional reform and transformation of government functions.

The proposed national health and family planning commission will be responsible for planning the resource allocation of medical care, public health and family planning services, establishing a basic medicine system to standardize drug prices, formulating China's family planning policy, and supervising and administering public health, medical care and family planning services, Ma said.

The functions of studying and drawing up the population development strategies and population policies of the existing National Population and Family Planning Commission will be transferred to the existing National Development and Reform Commission, he said.

The existing State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, currently affiliated with the Ministry of Health, will be administered by the proposed national health and family planning commission, he said.

"After the reform, China will adhere to and improve the family planning policy," Ma said.