China has set up a body to address the issues relating to end-of-life care for one of the world's largest number of elderly people. 

The Chinese Association for Life Care (CALC) will act as a nationwide regulator in the end-of-life care field, said Li Jiaxi, director of the association, at the launch ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday.

Composed of medical and legal workers, volunteers and supported by Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministry of Health, the body will engage in the development of end-of-life, palliative and health care for the elderly and gerontology research , Li said.

The aim of the association was to regulate services across the nation, organizing academic communication and domestic and international exchanges to improve the quality of caring of the elderly in China. He explained.

"Life care" meant the provision of services for elderly people, especially those with terminable illnesses and to permit them to die with dignity.

Currently China has three forms of life-care services: a small number of end-of-life care hospitals, around 200 end-of-life wards in medical institutions and there are hospices.

The number of Chinese over the age of 60 in China is 143 million. This accounts for 11 percent of the population.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2006)