Health authorities urged to improve medical facilities

The National Health Commission is requiring local authorities to upgrade or transform their medical facilities to better serve patients by the end of this month.

"Getting well prepared in terms of our medical resources is key to our ability to provide quality services in the near future," said Jiao Yahui, an official from the National Health Commission. "So far, we have 138,100 beds for critical care patients nationwide, and 80,500 doctors and 220,000 nurses treating them."

She said that to better serve patients, the commission has required local authorities to enhance their medical resources, including opening more fever outpatients, transforming mobile hospitals into designated hospitals and setting up more intensive care units.

Furthermore, hospitals at the grassroots, county, district and city levels should open or reopen outpatient fever clinics.

"Mobile hospitals will be transformed into sub-designated hospitals, and 10 percent of the beds should be set aside for intensive care units," Jiao said.

In addition, the commission requires provincial-level and comprehensive hospitals with more treatment capabilities to allocate 4 percent of their beds for ICU patients. The hospitals should also improve ICU training for their medical workers.

According to Jiao, the nation has an additional 106,000 doctors and 177,700 nurses who work in other capacities but are capable of providing critical care services when needed.