China makes headway in enhancing grassroots medical services

BEIJING -- China has worked to bolster its public health care services at various levels, aiming to improve its people's well-being, a senior National Health Commission (NHC) official said on Tuesday.

At a press conference held in Beijing, NHC official Zhu Hongbiao highlighted China's efforts to channel medical resources, including personnel, technology, services and management, into community-level health care institutions, ensuring the public has access to quality medical services on their doorsteps.

Currently, over 70 percent of medical institutions at the grassroots level have met basic or recommended standards in terms of service capabilities, Zhu said.

Zhu also noted measures that have been taken to build a capable workforce for community-level health care institutions. These measures include programs that provide free medical education to rural students who commit to serving their local areas, as well as subsidies for those working at village clinics.

Additionally, Zhu emphasized efforts to improve the services of city and county-level medical institutions, such as the establishment of partnerships between China's top-tier hospitals and county-level hospitals to provide assistance and support.

In 2023, the proportion of visits to community-level health care institutions climbed to 52 percent, demonstrating the increasing appeal of grassroots health care institutions among the public, Zhu said.