China has 260 mln chronic disease patients: white paper

China currently has about 260 million people who have been diagnosed to have contracted chronic diseases, and these diseases have caused 85 percent of total deaths in the country, a white paper said Wednesday.

Moreover, the diseases have incurred 70 percent of the country's total medical costs, according to the white paper titled "Medical and Health Services in China," which was released by the Information Office of the State Council, or China's Cabinet.

To address the problem, China has promoted the integration of prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

At the state level, a chronic disease prevention and control system, which takes as its technical support the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Center of China and the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases of China, has gradually taken shape, the white paper said, adding that local networks of chronic disease prevention and control have gradually been formed.

Moreover, China has issued the "National Program for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention (2012-2015)" and other relevant policy documents and guidelines, the white paper said.

Information management system of chronic diseases has been established, it said.

China enforces comprehensive surveillance of chronic diseases, monitors the risk factors of such diseases, the incidence, the causes of death, and nutrition and health conditions of people suffering from these diseases, and has established cancer registries.

Moreover, since China joined the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control in January 2006, various localities in China have made proactive efforts to legalize control of smoking in public places for a smoking-free environment.

Maintenance of people's mental health has also been valued, according to the document. China issued the Mental Health Law to regulate the mental health services and protect the rights and interests of people with mental disorders.

At present, there are about 3.03 million people with serious mental disorders in China's urban and rural areas who are receiving standard management at their homes, the paper said.