Better support for severely disabled poor people

Several ministry-level departments, including those responsible for education, health, water resources, and poverty alleviation, have responded recently to issues of public concern.

Forum focuses on relief for disabled living in poverty

China will address problems faced by services that care for impoverished people who are severely disabled, an official with the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development said.

Measures and policies will be formulated to better support such people in areas including compulsory education, basic medical care, housing security and drinking water safety, Xia Gengsheng, the office's deputy director, said at a forum on poverty alleviation for disabled people in Beijing on Oct 14.

The forum, jointly held by the China Disabled Persons' Federation, the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, discussed measures to promote caring services for impoverished people who are severely disabled.

Statistics from the China Disabled Persons' Federation show that China has about 1.69 million registered impoverished disabled people. Nearly half of them are severely disabled and 472,000 people need foster care services.