A Ministry of Health report said that infant mortality rate dipped to 15.3 babies per 1,000 infants born in 2007, from 25.5 in 2003. Maternal mortality rate also tumbled down to 36.6 per 100,000 last year from 51.3 in 2003.
The report attributed the improving infant and maternal conditions to a rise in prenatal examinations to 90 percent, post partum checks to 86 percent and hospital deliveries to 88 percent.
Another reason behind the better health of Chinese was the improvement in the level of overall and per capita health expenditure. In 2007, total health expenditures tipped to $143.67 billion (1.049 trillion yuan) or 4.82 percent of the country's gross domestic product. Central budget provided for healthcare leapfrogged by 277 percent from the 2006 level, while per capita health spending was at $107.43 (761 yuan).
Aside from a longer life by 2050, the Outline for China's Sustainable Development, a 20-volume document made up of research reports, analysis and predictions prepared by 184 senior savants, sociologists and policy researchers, said a little more than four decades from now, Chinese will use less energy and spend a smaller part of their income on food.
The report projects a 15 to 20 times decrease in energy consumption per unit of GDP if China reaches its goal to manage sustainable development. While China failed to achieve its target in 2006 to reduce energy consumption per capita by 4 percent, Lu Yongixang, CAS president and editor of the report, said the goals are scientific and realistic.
