Beijing - China's dairy producers have set up a fund to
compensate victims of melamine-tainted milk powder, which apparently
led to the death of at least six infants and may have sickened tens
of thousands of others, state media said on Sunday.
The China Dairy Industry Association said it set up the fund from
22 dairy producers implicated in the scandal, who 'hope to earn
understanding and forgiveness of the families of the sickened
children' through the move, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
All victims will get a one-time cash payment, the association said
without specifying the amount or other details of the compensation.
The agency said the 22 firms would also provide money to cover
medical bills for 'any possible after-effects as a result of the
poisoning'.
The health ministry said it believed melamine contaminated milk
powder was probably to blame for the death of six infants, while the
parents of another 294,000 infants sought medical advice for kidney
stones and other urinary problems.
At the end of November, a total of 861 babies were still under
treatment at hospitals nationwide for problems linked to tainted milk
powder, the ministry said.
Courts in northern China's Hebei province on Friday tried six
people accused of crimes linked to production and distribution of
nearly 800 tons of melamine-tainted milk powder.
Hebei police have arrested at least a dozen others linked to
contaminated milk powder produced by local firm Sanlu, which was
declared bankrupt earlier this week with debts of 1.1 billion yuan
(161 million dollars) after ceasing production in September.
Most of the infants treated had consumed baby milk powder made by
Sanlu.
Government officials said Sanlu knew about the contamination of
milk powder with melamine since March but didn't order a national
recall of the powder until September.
Melamine is used as a binding agent and coating for particle,
fibre and laminated board in furniture. It is also used to make
fertilizer.
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