THE Shenzhen Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau has raised the amount of aid available to migrant workers in the city from 500,000 yuan (US$65,789) a month to 1 million yuan a month.

At a ceremony Monday, 35 migrant workers who have suffered financial difficulties because of industrial accidents or serious disease received donations of 261,000 yuan in aid.

Shenzhen Hengsheng Hospital and Shenzhen Sun Yet-sen Cardiovascular Hospital also became the first members of the Aid Fund for Migrant Workers, which was initiated in March.

The two hospitals promised to offer the best possible treatment for workers receiving subsidies from the fund.

Liu Zhenghua, 36, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, had spent 200,000 yuan on medical treatment. On Monday, his family received 20,000 yuan from the fund for further treatment.

Li Decheng, chairman of the city's advisory body, the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, called for more public health institutions to get involved in the Aid Fund program to help more needy migrant workers.

The Shenzhen Charity Association began withdrawing 500,000 yuan a month from the migrant worker fund to help workers in March.

The amount of the subsidy is based on the cost of medical treatment. Previously, a migrant worker could receive up to 20,000 yuan in subsidy if his medical treatment cost reached 100,000 yuan.

In June, the association lowered the threshold for applications. Workers whose medical treatment fees reach 10,000 yuan can now apply for a subsidy of 2,000 yuan and those whose medical treatment fees reach 100,000 yuan can receive 20,000 yuan.

So far, 76 needy migrant workers have received around 800,000 yuan in subsidies from the fund, according to Liu Runhua, director general of the municipal civil affairs bureau and executive chairman of the charity association.

Jiang Hanping, director general of the municipal health bureau, said the bureau was considering involving all public hospitals in the Aid Fund program.

"It is part of public hospitals' social responsibility," said Jiang. "The hospitals should exempt or reduce any costs possible such as bed and injection fees to help needy workers."

Editor: Wing