China to overhaul non-govt orphanages after fire

BEIJING - A month-long nationwide inspection of orphanages run by individuals and private operators will be carried out after a house fire in central China claimed seven lives.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs on Sunday urged departments across the country to improve management of such orphanages, learning lessons from the fire at Yuan Lihai's house that happended on Friday.

It is believed Yuan was operating an unregistered orphanage out of her home in Lankao county of central China's Henan Province.

A ministry statement said civil affairs departments should send out officials and mobilize communities and villages to collect information on the conditions of non-government orphanages.

If such orphanages do not meet the requirements of accommodating orphans, the children should be sent to child welfare agencies, the statement said.

If they are qualified, the government would sign contracts with them and put them under supervision, it continued.

If security loopholes are found in orphanages that have signed contracts with the government, they should be ordered to solve the problems within a deadline, the statement said.

The ministry also called on citizens, who are willing to adopt orphans, to follow legal procedures.

It will also crack down on those who profit from taking in orphans and manipulate them in illegal activities, the statement said.

In addition, the ministry promised to improve child welfare networks in order to prevent individuals and private institutions from illegally housing orphans.

Security checkups will also be imposed on government child welfare agencies and registered foster families, the statement said.

The fire in Yuan's home killed four people at the scene and another three children lost their lives while being taken to a local hospital.

Yuan, a 48-year-old widow, has taken care of orphans and abandoned children since 1986, using money earned from working as a street vendor to provide for them.