By IANS,
Beijing : Five thousand orphans in China have received a year of free medical insurance for treatment of “critical illnesses”.
The insurance was provided by a joint programme launched by the ministry of civil affairs and the China Children Insurance Foundation (CCIF) and is designed for all “healthy Chinese orphans” under the age of 18, Xinhua reported.
The insurance will be valid for a year starting Oct 1, and each insured orphan is covered for 100,000 yuan, said Song Liying, head of CCIF’s administration committee.
The health conditions covered in the programme are malignant tumours, organ and stem cell transplants, acute kidney failure, aplastic anaemia, benign brain tumour, acute hepatitis, meningitis, paralysis, rheumatoid arthritis, Kawasaki disease, Myasthenia Gravis and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
“We plan to extend the insurance coverage to all 700,000 officially registered orphans in China,” Song said.
The public and business enterprises can donate online or through mobile text messages, as well as in banks and post offices.
“Insurance is something that can be purchased before disaster occurs. It will benefit thousands of children,” said Chen Xiaoxia, CCTF secretary general.