Health campaign targets lung disease

The National Health Commission will take steps to prevent new cases of a lung disease often associated with dusty occupations, a senior official said on Monday.

The campaign is "the most important and compelling work" the commission will conduct with several other ministries to curb the development of pneumoconiosis, the commission's vice-minister, Li Bin, said in a policy briefing.

Pneumoconiosis damages lungs and is caused by inhalation of different kinds of dust. It is the No 1 occupational disease in China, mostly in the mining industry.