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China to allot US$24 billion for Covid-19 control

World

China to allot US$24 billion for Covid-19 control

By Jaleen Ramos

After scrapping most of its pandemic restrictions, China has allocated a budget of 170 billion yuan or US$24.6 billion for Covid-19 control this year. In a report from South China Morning Post, the funds will be used for subsidizing local governments for Covid-19 prevention and control activities. According to the Ministry of Finance’s report to the National People’s Congress (NPC) on Sunday, at least 30 billion yuan in carry-over funds from last year will be included in the total amount. “The funding will guarantee subsidies for ad hoc payments to medical workers and vaccination expenses, and extend existing subventions for treating Covid-19 patients,” the report said. It added the fund will also be used to cover “personal burdens on Covid-19 hospitalization bills beyond that assured by public health and major disease insurance, as well as medical aid schemes.” The NPC is set to vote on the budget on March 13. “[The funding] will support the steady and orderly implementation of the policy of managing Covid-19 with measures against Class B infectious diseases,” the ministry’s budget report said via SCMP. China downgraded its management of Covid-19 from category A to category B last January.

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