BEIJING - The Chinese government plans to build more hospitals at the county level as one of the measures to reform the national public health service, said a State Council circular on Monday.

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By the end of this year, every county with a population of more than 300,000 must have a public hospital with at least 100 beds and certificated medical workers accounting for 75 percent of the total staff, said the pilot project plan to reform public hospitals, which was published on the official website of the Chinese government.

Under the plan, the country will try a system of technical cooperation between county hospitals and rural clinics in one-fifth of the nation's 2,800 counties in a bid to improve medical service to villagers.

The country will also try to reform the health authorities and improve supervision of public hospitals, the document said.

Also, chief officials of the health departments at all levels will be banned from doubling as public hospital heads to tighten the supervision of public hospitals.

To control the cost of medical service, measures will be taken to make public hospitals use basic medicines listed by the state and adopt public bidding in the purchase of medicines, the document said.

It also pledged that China would work out policies to encourage private investment in operating hospitals and create a better environment for private hospitals.