The municipal government of Jiujiang, east China's Jiangxi Province, invested 100 million yuan (about US$12 million) in public health projects.

The projects, including a disease prevention and control center and women's and children's health center, were launched Thursday, and are expected to open in about one year.

The disease prevention and control center will cover 1.7 hectares and cost US$3 million. The 32,000-square-meter women and children health center will cost US$9 million.

An official with the municipal government said the disease center will become a base for disease prevention and control advice, providing technological services and studying serious diseases, while the women and children health center will be the biggest in the surrounding areas.

(CRI December 31, 2004)