China mulls mortality database for health assessment

 　　FUZHOU, April 11 (Xinhua) -- China is preparing to set up a national mortality database to obtain cause-of-death information, marking a step toward establishing a monitoring network for health risk factors across the country, an official said Wednesday.

　　Health departments in provinces are ordered to start collecting data and compiling lists on causes of deaths before the Ministry¹ of Health can link up the provincial² databases in 2013, said Meng Qun, an official with the statistics and information center of the ministry.

　　Meng told a national health workshop in the eastern city of Fuzhou that mortality information is key data for the government to assess public health, draw up policies and arrange resources.

　　The ministry is considering systems to effectively monitor risks to public health, Meng said, adding that every resident in economically-developed regions and some underdeveloped regions should be able to have a digital health dossier by 2015.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。