NHC vice-minister calls for advancements in healthcare sector in Fujian

Lei Haichao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission (NHC), paid a visit to East China's Fujian province from Dec 10 to 11 to survey local health and emergency response services, as well as attend the 16th China Forum on Community Health Service Development.

In the province's capital city Fuzhou, Lei visited the Yizhou Community Health Service Center in Taijiang district, as well as the Fujian Provincial Hospital to learn about Fujian's efforts in promoting public health, including the training of medical personnel at the primary level, family doctor services, hierarchical medical treatment, professional development of general medicine in tertiary hospitals and construction of national emergency medical rescue teams.

He also had in-depth discussions with local officials and residents and listened to their suggestions.

Endeavors should be made to adhere to reform and innovation, and push forward the development of close medical partnerships and give full play to their leading roles, he said, stressing the importance of continuously advancing family doctor services so as to effectively enhance people's sense of gain.

Health authorities should increase support for grassroots medical services, optimize the allocation of medical resources, ensure staffing and investment, develop and strengthen local medical teams and raise healthcare service capacity, he noted.

Lei also called for the development of general medicine in secondary and tertiary hospitals and improvements in incentive mechanisms to guide more doctors to provide general medicine and family doctor services.

Meanwhile, further efforts should be made to intensify health emergency response capacity-building and drilling, continuously push for the construction of national emergency medical rescue bases and enhance the integration of medical treatment and prevention, in order to effectively improve the ability to respond to medical emergencies, he said.