China has opened a "12320" hotline to allow the public to phone in information about health emergencies in five cities, according to the Ministry of Health on Monday.

The hotline, which the ministry plans to expand to cities all over the country over the next five years, gives the public a channel to report information about health emergencies or lodge complaints if health laws and regulations are not respected, said Mao Qun'an, the ministry's spokesman, at a press conference.

The hotline also provides consultative services on the control and prevention of AIDS and other diseases, health laws and regulations, as well as government guidelines and policies, he said.

The hotline is open in Beijing, Shanghai, Shijiazhuang, capital city of north China's Heibei Province, as well as Nanjing and Xuzhou, two cities in east China's Jiangsu Province.

Source: Xinhua