The Chinese government is allocating more than 2.7 billion yuan (US$395 million) for the development of rural healthcare infrastructure next year, a Ministry of Health official said on Thursday.

Zhao Zilin, the ministry's financial department director, revealed the special fund would be used mainly for building hospitals for women and children and hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine as well as health centers.

The average cost for health centers would be 80,000 yuan, 380,000 yuan for hospitals for women and children hospitals, and 1 million yuan for Chinese medicine hospitals.

The funding would also provide 21 types of medical equipment, such as B-ultrasonic scanners, sterilizers and ECG monitors.

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)