Xi's article on building strong public health system to be published

BEIJING -- An article by President Xi Jinping on building a strong public health system to provide a guarantee for safeguarding the people's health will be published on Sept 16.

The article by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in the 18th issue of the Qiushi Journal.

The people's security is the cornerstone of national security, says the article.

It says a strong guarantee for safeguarding the people's health can only be ensured by developing a strong public health system, improving the early warning and response mechanisms, comprehensively enhancing the capacity for prevention, control and treatment, and building a strong and solid protection network.

The article calls for reforming the disease prevention and control system which serves as an important guarantee for protecting the people's health and public health security as well as maintaining economic and social stability.

It is imperative to boost the early-stage epidemic monitoring and warning capacity to improve the public health system, the article adds.

Efforts are needed to improve the treatment system for major epidemics, it says.

The article calls for advancing public health campaigns and improving public health laws and regulations.

It also stresses giving full play to traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and control of major epidemic diseases.

The article says science and technology underpin efforts to contain major epidemics. "Major advances in science and technology concerning people's life and safety and bio-security are of paramount importance for the country and they must be kept in our own hands," it says.

The article further calls for strengthened international exchanges and cooperation in health as well as joint efforts to build a global community of health for all.