J. Chinese Medical Statistics

China has improved medical services for the Chinese people. According to Ethridge in China's Unfinished Revolution, the life expectancy in 1949 was about 35 years for both men and women. In 1981 it rose to 64.4 years for men and 69.6 years for women. In 1992, according to PC Globe, the life expectancy is now 68 years for men and 72 years for women. Two reasons for this improvement are the increased calorie intake and the improved medical infrastructure.

Noll reports that in 1987 medical care was both available and affordable to the average Chinese. Chinese nationals can see a doctor in the cities for a cost of 2 fen (1/2 cent). There are 100 fen to a Chinese Yuan. The cost to enter a hospital is one Yuan. Hospital care is available both in traditional Chinese medicine and in Western medicine in most city hospitals. In examining this Table, we can see the improvement in the number of doctors and hospital beds has been accomplished while the population has increased from 580,000,000 to 1,000,000,000.