Ma Xiaowei, China's Vice Health Minister, on Friday warned hospitals they were prohibited from refusing emergency treatment to patients who were unable to pay the medical fees.

"Emergency treatment should carried out first no matter whether the patients can afford the medical fees," said Ma at a national health meeting.

Ma acknowledged that some patients defaulted on payments for emergency medical treatment, "but hospitals should not take this as an excuse for refusing to give patients treatment", he said.

He urged hospitals to work with local governments to frame compensatory polices to solve the issue.

At the meeting, Ma also called for a standard definition of medical accidents, improving compensation regulations and the promotion of medical insurance to effectively solve disputes between patients and hospitals.

"This is very important in building harmonious relations between doctors and patients," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2007)