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Download As of the end of 2011, more than 12 million yuan ($1.9 million) in compensation were paid to children poisoned by milk contaminated with melamine, China Life insurance company announced on its website on Monday. Six infants were killed and about 300,000 others were sickened after drinking tainted milk in 2008, according to data released by the Ministry of Health. Former dairy giant Sanlu Group, based in North China's Hebei province, and 21 other dairy companies were found to have contaminated their products with melamine, a chemical that could cause kidney problems. Through the mediation of the China Dairy Industry Association, the 22 companies set up a fund worth 200 million yuan to compensate victims and their families. The money will be used to treat any chronic symptoms victims may experience as a result of the poisoning before they turn 18. China Life is being entrusted by the association with managing the fund. Launched in July 2009, the fund had been used to treat 2,055 children by the end of 2011, according to the online announcement at China Life. Nearly 3.4 million yuan of that was paid to 512 children in 2011. The tainted milk scandal drew national attention when 14 infants younger than 1 in Northwest China's Gansu province were diagnosed with kidney stones in 2008. Soon after, more cases from various provinces were reported and in September, the health department of Northwest China's Gansu province announced that the 59 sickened infants had all consumed the same brand of powdered milk. | 
