Inside China Today

Inside China Today – Sunday 15th November

- Colleges closed due to H1N1 influenza

- Low income earners in China cannot afford medical treatment

- Chinese people voice support for the ‘Quit CCP’ movement

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Colleges closed due to H1N1 influenza

There’s been a rapid increase in the spread of ‘Type A’ H1N1 influenza in Chinese schools. Online reports reveal many colleges have closed. Student bodies are dissatisfied with the lack of protective measures. Especially in Xian Technical College, the Kunming Institute of Technology, Jinqiao College and Dezhou College.

Online reports reveal a student at the Xian Technical College in Shanxi died without receiving proper treatment for the flu. A fellow student named Wang criticized the college saying they took no preventive measures and didn’t care for the students.

Wang told SOH (Recording):

“A while ago, many students had high temperatures, about 38 to 39 degrees Celsius. The college told them to go home, just like that without dealing with it. When you’re sick you see a doctor. There is only one person in the college clinic, sometimes he works and sometimes he doesn’t. The facilities in the college are very bad, students are very dissatisfied. They have complained, but the college hasn’t dealt with it.”

There are hundreds of unconfirmed cases at the Kunming Institute of Technology, and only 22 confirmed cases. Since November 11th, the college closed the school but did not cancel classes.

A student told SOH (Recording):

“From the start the college has taken no protective measures. I feel they should’ve cancelled classes and evacuated immediately. But they closed the college, and kept the classes running. In the last two days they’ve kept strict attendance rolls. Many students were fine but now they’re infected.”

Dezhou College in Shandong reports 29 confirmed cases. Many students have been transferred to a warehouse. A student named Lin from the college said due to the breakout, students who don’t have the flu are being isolated.

Lin told SOH (Recording):

“In Shandong, the temperature dropped suddenly and it also began snowing. The temperature changes drastically between day and night. Many have caught a cold and have high fevers. But no one has said it is Type A influenza. There’s now a makeshift hospital in the college. A building in the south zone is now an isolation area.”

A student named Bai, from Shanxi Province, said the situation there is very severe.

Bai told SOH (Recording):
“Basically all colleges have closed, including Taiyuan Science and Engineering, and Shanxi University. Many students have taken early holidays, I hear they’ll return in the New Year.”

Keith Ware; Lin Li; and Si Ming of the SOH Radio Network.

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Low income earners in China cannot afford medical treatment

In China many citizens fear getting ill. For those living in poverty, sickness only adds more trouble to their already difficult lives. On November 9th, our Chinese SOH branch carried out an investigation into the state of healthcare in parts of China. All the interviewees said they wouldn’t go to hospital, as it’s difficult and expensive to receive treatment.

Ms Mei, from Chongqing, suffers an eye affliction preventing her from seeing clearly, yet she doesn’t seek treatment.

She told SOH (Recording):
“We don’t have enough money for treatment. Even when we fall sick, we don’t have money to pay for treatment. We never see the doctor.”

Mr Wang, from rural Hubei Province, notes the high medical expenses stop people from getting treatment.

Mr Wang said (Recording):
“My hand hurts badly, but I still don’t dare visit the hospital. I’ve checked in at a small health clinic twice, but I dare not go to a hospital after going there. I don’t want to go to a hospital as I have no money.”

Most people cannot afford to go to hospital. Often they suffer the illness at home and take cheap medicines or herbal medicine. They’ll do this until the illness becomes more serious.

Ms Mei said there were no alternatives. She also told us (Recording):
“We’ll buy medicine to treat a cold and let it drag on, nothing can be done. If we have time, or we have a very serious illness, we’ll go to sleep and take some cold or herbal medicine.”

Ms Liu who was laid-off from a silk factory in Chongqing told SOH (Recording):
“Some people suffer cancer and don’t have money for treatment. They let it drag on until they die, and pass away like that. There’s nothing that can be done, who will care for you, no one cares for you.”

Currently in all parts of China, the coverage of medical insurance is narrow, the standard of reimbursement is low, and the requirements for getting insurance are difficult and complicated. These factors have prevented people from getting treatment or insurance. Further, the local government has shown little interest in healthcare for poorer communities. This has made it difficult for many people to receive medical care.

Mr Ping who lives in one of Shaanxi Province’s Economic Development Zones, said three years ago his land was appropriated for nine thousand Yuan. Mr Ping has no land for farming and a small source of income.

He said to SOH (Recording):
“Our village has no medical insurance. The village cadre reimburses us with less than twenty Yuan annually, and less than twenty Yuan for medical expenses.”

Mr. Wang from Hubei said everyone in their village needs to pay 30 Yuan for medical insurance but receives almost no reimbursement for treatment procedures.

He said (Recording):
“If you’re very ill and the clinics can’t treat it. Local authorities will only reimburse two thousand Yuan for a treatment costing ten thousand Yuan. You even need to have a relationship with the health director; you need to give him a gift.”

On November 9th, Xinlang.Net featured a survey carried out by the ‘Economy Consultation’ magazine. The survey revealed many low income communities throughout China’s cities are poorer due to health problems. This problem has become widespread, and the current level of government support and insurance is very inadequate.

Chris Thomas; Tian Ling; and Wang Zhen of the SOH Radio Network.

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Chinese people voice support for the ‘Quit CCP’ movement

According to information from the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP, a teacher in mainland China revealed that most Chinese civilians are very unhappy with the communist regime.

The past 20 years has demonstrated to the Chinese people that the demolition of the Berlin Wall was the right choice for the people. So many Chinese people support the ”Quitting the CCP” movement, hoping it will soon end the CCP’s reign and in a peaceful manner.

Teacher Mu, who used his real name to renounce the CCP said when The Berlin Wall was demolished 20 years ago, media in Mainland China tried to educate people into believing that it was a mistake. However, no matter how the media attempted to influence public opinion, even the Chinese communist leaders knew in their heart that the dictatorial regime would collapse sooner or later.

Teacher Mu said (Recording): “The complaining mood among Chinese civilians is quite strong. Psychologically, we resent the present political system. For those who have independent thinking, the authorities put you in prison, or use other means to suppress you. It is an oppression of those in power. That is to say, there is something like a Berlin Wall that is suppressing people but that Wall is bound to collapse. It is not that we are overly and blindly optimistic but it could fall at any time, probably within five years, possibly even tomorrow. So I ask people, please help me to quit the CCP on the Epoch Times website.”

He said, twenty years ago, the former Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries abandoned communism and moved towards freedom and democracy, as well as prosperity.

Teacher Mu (Recording): “When the Berlin Wall was demolished, I was very excited. I thought it was huge progress for the society. It is a historical milestone, symbolizing the transition from authoritarianism to freedom, from being backward to a more advanced system for the society.

Teacher Zhang quit the CCP using the anonymous “Zheng Yi,” which means “righteousness” in Chinese. Zhang said, under the suppressive rule of the Chinese communist party, Chinese civilians are having a very difficult life. He therefore supports the Quitting the CCP movement and hopes the CCP will collapse as soon as possible

Teacher Zhang said (Recording): “The National Day celebration is a huge waste of money. It is all tax-payers’ money, right? It is a huge waste. It is not easy to browse overseas websites, as the authorities always threaten us. There is nothing we can do. We Chinese civilians are leading a difficult life. Many people are looking for jobs, and life is difficult for them. For us civilians, we only aim at having enough food to assuage hunger. When I was little, I joined the young pioneers, please help me to publish a statement to quit.”

Matthew Ytsma; Lin Li; and Yu Liang of the SOH Radio Network.

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