Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - More than half of Chinese people will not allow themselves to be vaccinated against the A/H1N1 influenza. Officially it is because they are not sure of the quality of this vaccine. The China Daily today published a survey of over 2 thousand people showed that 54% of respondents do not want to be vaccinated. Only two months ago in another poll the website sohu.com n showed that 74% wanted to be vaccinated.

On October 22 the city of Beijing launched the campaign for free vaccinations for students of primary and secondary schools, with the consent of parents. But some parents are refusing to subject their children to the injections. One of the survey respondents said: "The vaccine has been developed and distributed so quickly that I doubt its quality and effectiveness."

Suspicions about medicines produced in China are due to the numerous scandals of recent years, linked to medications and foods (melamine milk, poisoned toothpaste, diluted medicines ;...).

The investigation of the China Daily did not say if among the respondents there are people who do not want to pay to receive the vaccine. So far the government has promised to inject children free of charge but not adults. Many people in China, particularly farmers, can not afford even ordinary medical care. According to government figures, between 40 and 60% of the farmers could never afford medical care, for the same reason between 60 and 80% of Chinese die without being able to go to hospital.

A joint study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Chinese Center for Research and Development - shows that China is the fourth last place for the fair distribution of medical resources. Until now the country has registered 33 thousand cases of infection with A/H1N1 and 2 deaths. The WHO said that by 18 October there have been 5 thousand cases of death due to swine fever.