North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region plans to earmark 420 million yuan (US$51.8 million) in 2006 to boost the development of medical-care services, 100 million yuan (US$12.3 million) more than the year-earlier level, according to local health authorities.

Local health authorities said 180 million yuan (US$22.2 million) of the money would be used mainly to allow the new-type rural medical service system to cover more farmers and herders.

The remaining 240 million yuan (US$29.6 million) would go to supporting projects for public health facilities, construction of grass-root medical organs and to AIDS control and vaccination service projects.

According to the local health authorities' plan, this year the new rural medical service system will covers 6.19 million farmers and herders in 39 counties across the autonomous region.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2006)