venereal diseases had been almost eradicated or complett wiped in China. The morbidity of acute infectious diseases reduced from 20000/100000 in 1950s to less than 800/100000 at present. In the order of causes for death, the infectious diseases has dropped from No.1 to No.10. Smallpox was completely eradicated in 1960. The cases of measles, poliomyelitis, diphtheria and whooping cough have been reduced by 98.7% from 11829018 in the early period of the Liberation to 153174 in 1988. According to the statistics of vaccination in China in 1987,the coverage of BCG was 97%, polio 96%, DPT 95% and measles 95%. The Chinese government declared in 1985 that China would reach the goal of universal child immunization in two steps before 1990, i.e. 85% coverage at the provincial level by 1988, 85% at the county level in 1990. This has been incorporated into the "7th 5-year plan" of the State. However we must be aware of the fact that there are still more than 10 million patients suffering from acute infectious diseases every year in China, 60% of them due to enterogastric infectious diseases and in some places outbreak of infectious disease sometimes occur. Thus the prevention and control of diseases that endanger the people's health should continue to be the main priority in a comparatively long period of time in some places of China.
The Government has attached importance to occupational medicine and the prevention and control of occupational diseases by gradually setting up 99 special. ized institutions in this field, forming a nationwide occupational disease preven. tion and control network. Morbidity of several occupational diseases that serious- ly endanger workers' health has decreased and working conditions have improved following mass survey and treatment of occupational diseases among staffs and workers in factories, mines and enterprises. "Food Hygiene Law "was promul- gated by the Chinese government in December 1982. Since then posts of food hygiene inspectors have been created at various places, thus greatly improving food hygiene and in the meantime, inspection of imported food has also been strengthened.
To prevent international occurrence and spreading of infectious diseases that endanger human health, health and quarantine institutions have been set up at frontier ports, airports, railway stations and land passes open to foreigners for health and quarantine, disease surveillance and sanitary supervision of incoming and outgoing passengers and transportation means and its staff. "The Law of the Frontier Health and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China” was promulgated on Dec.2, 1986 with a view to ensuring implementation of health and quarantine service. The national health authorities provides the quarantine ser. vice with technology and equipment. The frontier health and quarantine service has not only brought the "International Health Regulations" into fuller play but also enhanced the international exchange and trade, thus playing a key role in
improving human health
Since the founding of the People's Republic under the leadership of the committees and governments at various levels and with social mobilization of all forces, endemic disease prevention and control centred on mass extermination of pests and eradication of diseases have been carried out. Up to 1986, the situation In most brucellosis and Kaschin-Beck disease endemic areas was stable, Keshan disease was basically controlled in 1/3 endemic counties, endemic goiter in 64.3% of the 1561 endemic counties was basically controlled, the condition of endemic fluoride poisoning in most areas was ascertained through investigation and its prevention and control had been energetically started, 74.7% of the counties with schistosomiasis had reached basic eradication or up to the criteria for eradication, 759 out of 885 filariasis endemic counties had reached criteria for eradication. morbidity of malaria had been decreased for 6 years running and the number of leprosy patients had dropped from 500000 at the early period of the Liberation to 70000 at present.
MCH and Technical Guidance of Family Planning
The population of women and children in this country make up two thirds of the total population. The constant improvement of the health of women and children is one of the important functions of China's health services.
Thanks to the MCH network formed in both urban and rural areas, over 90% of women had their babies delivered with sterile methods. With the promulgation of < Regulations for Labour Protection of Femal Workers> and <Provisional Regulations on Health Care of Women Employees) women employees are better cared for during the "five periods” namely, menstruation, pregnancy, maternity, lactation and menopause. The working women are entitled to 56 days maternity leave and for mothers with single child maternity leave is even longer for about 6 months with full pay. Women health clinics, lounges for pregnant women, lactating rooms as well as other health and welfare facilities are available in factories and mines with a large women popultion. Lactating time is twice a day with 30 minutes each. Regular mass screening. prevention and treatment of women's diseases are conducted, thus hysteroptosis and urinary fistular which seriously endanger women's health have been brought under control. Women's health status has been greatly improved which is manifested by the maternal mortality rate dropping from 150 '10000 in the early days of the founding of new China to 5/10000 at present.
In China, child health care has alway enjoyed our priority attention and the
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