More than 26,000 low-income rural people who are registered disabled around Beijing will enjoy free physical examinations in 13 hospitals between May 16 and the end of June, an official from the Beijing Disabled Person's Federation said on Wednesday.

The physicals will comprise more than 20 tests and include analysis of internal organs and blood and each is worth 320 yuan.

The federation says there are about 299,000 disabled people living in rural areas around Beijing. Some 22 percent of them are poor and more than 26,300 are officially classified as low-income earners because they only make about 2,000 yuan a year.

"Those low-income rural disabled people have problems in their daily lives and the cost of a physical examination is not a small thing to some of them," said Lu Zhengming, a press official from the federation.

The organization's branch offices will hand lists of low-income disabled people in their areas to the 13 hospitals taking part.

"It's the first time we have offered free physical examinations to disabled people," said a doctor, surnamed Xi, from the Huairou First Hospital. "We are very happy that the hospital is involved in the plan and it is a good chance for us to show the love from society toward those who need help."

According to Lu, the municipal government has promoted more than 50 favorable plans to help people with disabilities in the capital during the past five years. Ten more plans will be released by the end of the year.

Li Jingkui, director of the department of obstacle-free structures within the federation, said it finished upgrading homes and other spaces into obstacle-free areas for 13,000 disabled families last year. Another 5,000 families will benefit from the improvements by the end of the year. The work is being carried out for free.

In order to help people with disabilities improve their mobility, the government supplied 100 special cars for wheelchair users to some sub-district offices last year. An additional 150 such vehicles were sent to residential areas on Tuesday.

And college graduates with disabilities are also getting help. The federation is holding a job fair on May 16 that will involve about 40 companies, including Suning, IBM and McDonald's, offering more than 500 jobs. Free lunches and sign language interpreting will also be provided at the fair.

(China Daily May 13, 2010)