Health official: compensation work for China's tainted milk victims concluded

BEIJING, March 2 (Chinese media) -- Work to compensate children suffering from

melamine-tainted Sanlu milk powder has concluded, said a senior Chinese health

official Monday.

Health department officials nationwide would continue visiting sick

children and help them receive medical care, said Chen Xiaohong, Vice Health

Minister, at a press conference.

But Health Ministry sources refused to give detailed information about how

many families were compensated or how much they received.

On Jan. 14, the first family of the six children who died of

melamine-tainted baby formula received 200,000 yuan (28,985 U.S. dollars) in

compensation.

According to the Health Ministry, 296,000 children were affected by milk

powder.

Twenty-two dairy firms contributed 900 million yuan (130.43 million

dollars) to a compensation fund.

The fund allows a family whose child died of tainted milk powder 200,000

yuan. Those seriously affected will get 30,000 yuan (4,348 dollars) each and

those less seriously affected 2,000 yuan (289 dollars).

Another 200 million yuan went to a foundation that will cover future

medical expenses of affected children.

The Shijiazhuang city government, where Sanlu was based, said in January

that almost all its 3,000 affected families had received compensation except for

a few families yet to be contacted.

A Chinese local court declared the Sanlu Group bankrupt last month.