ZHENGZHOU - Central China's Henan province invested 720 million yuan (110 million US dollars) to renovate nursing homes in 2017, the provincial civil affairs department said Friday.

A total of 1,966 nursing facilities were rebuilt or improved. Living conditions for elderly people, especially those living below the poverty line in rural areas, were improved, according to the department.

The department sent 18 teams of officials to nursing facilities across the province last year, to investigate living conditions and facility services, and supervise their renovation work.

The province will continue to improve security, heating facilities, and medical services at nursing homes this year, the department said.

China had more than 28,000 registered nursing institutions for the elderly with nearly 7 million beds as of September 2017.