Zhang Weiqing said that basic population information databases are one of four basic information databases in the nation. The information database on women of childbearing age is an important part of population information resources. In the past, information on the women of childbearing age was written on the paper. Once a patient’s information changed, staff had to spend much time and energy on finding the record and updating the data. However, the new information system will record all basic data such as marriage, childbearing history, contraception, birth control, death, and immigration, among others, for both the wife and husband. Whenever a women then goes to receive treatment her information can viewed by simply inputting her ID number. This will enable the government to improve the complex task of managing the population.

According to Shi Shuhua, director of Guangdong Provincial Family Planning Commission, the six family planning bureaus at the prefectural level and 54 family planning bureaus at the county level are now part of an established Local Area Network, or LAN. The 54 county level bureaus for family planning have recently finished changing their mainframe system over to the networked system. Since 2001, Guangdong has invested 18 million yuan (US$2.16 million) in building the information system. More money, about 22 million yuan (US$2.64 million), will be invested in the project in the next two years. Shi said that future work will aim at promoting and administering the one child policy.

Shi Shuhua said that according to the plan, Guangdong will completely retire the old paper based system by the end of 2003.

(China.org.cn, translated by Wu Nanlan, November 12, 2002)