Shanxi's Health and Family Planning Commission decided to improve health care services for urban and rural residents on Jan 20, with its annual fund for public health services increasing by 5 yuan ($0.80) per person.

The commission will spend the funds increased on grassroots medical institutions and rural doctors and promote their health service projects for patients suffering from tuberculosis.

In addition, it will take use of the national and provincial medical resources to protect the health of women and children in poor areas and provide them with services involving physical examinations, nutritional support and detection of diseases, such as Ebola, avian influenza and AIDS.

To strengthen the prevention of disease, it will improve its monitoring of safety on food, antiviral treatment of virus infection and health care consultancy.

Increasing residents’ health consciousness and offering them specific medical training are also the tasks of Shanxi province this year.