The Chinese Medicines and Health Foundation (CMHF) has donated 3 million yuan (about US$395,000) to the Ministry of Health for awarding outstanding doctors working in rural hospitals and village-based clinics.

Chen Xiaohong, vice minister of health, praised the foundation for its contribution to promoting medical services in rural areas, and he pledged to well use every cent of the donation.

In 2005 and 2006, the ministry appointed 200 rural doctors as "National Excellent Rural Doctors" every year, each awarded a prize of 5,000 yuan (about US$658), for their contribution to serving villagers.

The CMHF's donation will be used for awarding rural doctors in the coming three years.

The candidates are those who have worked in rural medical institutions for 10 years or more and are currently still working in rural clinics.

The foundation was set up a year and half ago, with Wang Yanfeng as its chairman.

So far, the foundation has donated 50 million yuan (about US$658,000) for training over 7,000 rural doctors and carrying out disease control and prevention programs in Hebei, Henan, Guangdong, Guizhou and Jiangsu provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, involving 20 million rural beneficiaries.

As of the end of 2006, China has 1.06 million rural people working in medical institutions in the countryside, including 906,000 rural doctors.

(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2007)