The State Council's new guideline hopes for a drastically improved health-care system in China by 2017. (Photo : Reuters)
The country will see an increase in the number of babies born with defects each year, the Ministry of Health predicted in its 2012 report.
The report said that the number of newborns with defects may reach up to 900,000 each year.
According to the report, many of these birth defects include conditions that affect functional, structural and metabolic disorders, as well as other chromosomal abnormalities, congenital malformations, and inherited metabolic diseases.
According to a survey conducted by Hunan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, the average cost of medical care for a baby with birth defects is about 1.09 million yuan (around $174,000).
Among babies afflicted with severe defects, only 30 percent live a full life after treatment at a young age, while 30 percent would die and 40 percent will end up permanently affected.
"This means untold pains and burdens to tens of thousands of families around the country," said Lei Dongzhu, vice chairperson of the First People's Hospital of Chenzhou City in central China's Hunan Province, was quoted as saying.
Lei and other experts in the field said that many of these birth defects are preventable and can be detected through prenatal screening and treatment. But many parents prefer not to go because the medical insurance does not cover the 1,400 yuan ($223.58) cost of diagnosis and checks, apart from the fact that it is too expensive for them, Lei added.
In addition to this, Lei said that poor awareness of the situation has made matters worse for the general public.
Lei, a doctor and deputy to the National People's Congress, has recommended an increase in the financial support for families with defective babies, as well as the expansion of the coverage of medical insurance and free check-ups and prenatal screening for pregnant women.
