Ourstorydatesfrom40yearsago,onAugust10,1966,whenChina'sfirstinstitutionofruralmedicalservicewasinauguratedatacountycalledChangyang,HubeiProvince,CentralChina,wherepeopleofTujia,anethnicminoritygroup,liveincompactcommunities.ItwasactuallyaclinicataDujiaVillageinthecounty,whichchargeditselfwiththetaskofmakingprimaryorbasicmedicalcareavailable-andaffordable-toallthevillagers.Chinahasundergonetremendouschangessincethen,andnowitseconomybecomingincreasinglymarket-oriented.Despitethat,ruralcooperativemedicalservicehaskeptexpandingat
