Posted By Damjan DeNoble
Seasoned China watcher and PBS reporter Shannon Van Sant presents a three part special on healthcare in rural China. Few people have a good sense of the health disparities in China’s part moder part developing population. Needless to say, the healthcare needs of city residents and the needs of rural residents are drastically different. Van Sant’s report enlightens on just how destitute rural areas can be. As you watch, remind yourself that this is China in 2009.
Part I - notice how the rural health cooperative in Taian, a “village” of some 350,000 people, has delivered some amazing healthcare results for people who do not even have access to running water: by 2006, half of all China counties implemented the system. I can tell you from first hand experience in America’s rural South, that this sort of cooperative would be a Godsend for many Americans. I can’t help but wonder how quickly the public option would have gotten approved if it could be implemented on a county by county basis. My intuition tells me that there would be many rural areas that would approve the bill within a few hours of it being proposed.
Part II - pay attention to the part of the video after 5:30. The rural health cooperative is a chance to level the playing field for China’s minorities. Also, there is some great footage of how people live on the Tibetan plateau.
Part III – you will get a series of inside looks to rural hospitals and clinics in some of China’s poorest rural ares. I haven’t seen anything like this anywhere else on the net – it is a must see for all public health students and professionals who purpose to make a difference in Asia’s developing healthcare systems.
[The production on this video footage is beautifully raw, and even if you are not interested in rural healthcare issues, but are simply a sinophile, it would be worth watching on mute just for the imagery.]
Part 2:
Part 3:
China Healthcare Blog
6 Comments
I think the real question is whether the govt will be able to expand these services to the rest of the uninsured throughout China and on top of that, whether these programs are sustainable in the long run. I don't think the video was clear as to how the funds are obtained and allocated. I also couldn't help but notice that the documentary was produced by CCTV; couple that with the overly-laudatory tone of the video and it almost feels like a government endorsement…
Well, you're right, that is the real question and the debate on sustainability is certainly one of the most important components of the reforms. It would have been difficult for the video to cover that in half an hour. If you want to read more about the state of the debate search for our articles that covered the Duke health sessions at Peking University, and/or do a search for "health reforms" at the top of our sight. There is a lot there, and China is doing a rather phenomenal job – already this year, 360 million people were insured on a community based insurance scheme.
The video doe mention that the funds are obtained from a 10RMB contribution from community members. This gives patients a safety net that provides them with high deductibles when something bad happens.
CCTV did air the documentary, but it was produced by a PBS team. The involvement of PBS should be a pretty strong indicator that this is not a government endorsement. Either way, the images of the piece are not exactly propaganda masterpieces – there is way too much poverty to be seen, the hospitals show are not clean or equipped with the newest technologies. Having been to the countryside of China and its clinics, I thought that this was a very accurate piece, and I don't work for the government, that's for sure.
Well, you're right, that is the real question and the debate on sustainability is certainly one of the most important components of the reforms. It would have been difficult for the video to cover that in half an hour. If you want to read more about the state of the debate search for our articles that covered the Duke health sessions at Peking University, and/or do a search for "health reforms" at the top of our sight. There is a lot there, and China is doing a rather phenomenal job – already this year, 360 million people were insured on a community based insurance scheme.
The video does mention that the funds are obtained from a 10RMB contribution from community members. This gives patients a safety net that provides them with high deductibles when something bad happens.
CCTV did air the documentary, but it was produced by a PBS team. The involvement of PBS should be a pretty strong indicator that this is not a government endorsement. Either way, the images of the piece are not exactly propaganda masterpieces – there is way too much poverty to be seen, the hospitals show are not clean or equipped with the newest technologies. Having been to the countryside of China and its clinics, I thought that this was a very accurate piece, and I don't work for the government, that's for sure.
Well, you're right, that is the real question and the debate on sustainability is certainly one of the most important components of the reforms. It would have been difficult for the video to cover that in half an hour. If you want to read more about the state of the debate search for our articles that covered the Duke health sessions at Peking University, and/or do a search for "health reforms" at the top of our sight. There is a lot there, and China is doing a rather phenomenal job – already this year, 360 million people were insured on a community based insurance scheme.
The video does mention that the funds are obtained from a 10RMB contribution from community members. This gives patients a safety net that provides them with high deductibles when something bad happens.
CCTV did air the documentary, but it was produced by a PBS team. The involvement of PBS should be a pretty strong indicator that this is not a government endorsement. Either way, the images of the piece are not exactly propaganda masterpieces – there is way too much poverty to be seen, the hospitals show are not clean or equipped with the newest technologies. Having been to the countryside of China and its clinics, I thought that this was a very accurate depiction of life there, and I don't work for the government, that's for sure.
Hi,
Actually — the video was produced by CCTV. Before I began contributing to PBS television I was a host for one year at CCTV. PBS did not have any involvement with the documentary series Healthcare in the Heartland.
Shannon
And, now it would appear i am wrong about the production! But, my comment about the content still holds. Thank you for chiming in Shannon,
One Trackback
Someone thinks this story is fantastic…
This story was submitted to Hao Hao Report – a collection of China’s best stories and blog posts. If you like this story, be sure to go vote for it….