Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Saturday called on nationwide
efforts to give wholehearted help to disabled persons around the
country.
Extending greetings to China's over 60 million disabled persons
and their families and gratitude to those participated in the
second national sample survey of disabled persons, Hui said the
whole society should learn more about the disabled people's living
conditions and needs.
"We must do more for disabled persons and help them overcome
difficulties," Hui said while visiting the disabled in Zhengzhou,
capital of Henan Province, on the 16th National Day for
Helping the Disabled which falls on Saturday.
The sample survey will help improve the formulation of laws,
regulations and policies for them, and provide basis for the
government to make policy decision on economic and social
development, he said.
The survey, beginning on April 1 this year, has been going on
smoothly and in accordance with its timetable as 60,000
investigators are busy visiting 2.6 million households in cities
and villages.
So far, the investigators have completed half of their household
interviews, according to an official with the China Disabled
Persons' Federation.
The survey will be conducted in 724 counties throughout the
country, and every county has selected eight smaller zones, each
with 420-450 residents, in both urban and rural areas. All the
samples were selected randomly, said Feng Shi, a public relations
official of the federation in charge of the survey.
The result of the sample survey is scheduled to be made public
next year.
China's first survey of disabled persons was carried out in
1987.
(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2006)