China: putting people first

(—twelfth part of the “China in the past decade” series)

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has prioritized people’s health and assigned it a strategic position. “Putting people and their lives first” has been the CPC’s governance philosophy.

China has made guidelines for healthcare-related work in the new era, made building a healthy China and actively responding to an aging population as national strategies, and continuously deepened the reform of the medical and health system. China has embarked on a path to reform and advance the healthcare sector with Chinese characteristics.

The past decade has seen the Healthy China strategy fully implemented and people’s health fully guaranteed. The Law on the Promotion of Basic Medical and Health Care was formulated and revised; the outline of Healthy China 2030 was formulated and implemented and the Healthy China initiative was carried out; the Health Care Program for Poverty Alleviation has helped nearly 10 million families who had returned to poverty due to illness to escape poverty; the patriotic health campaigns have been integrated into all aspects of social health governance; civilized, healthy and green lifestyles are increasingly popular; and people’s awareness of good health has been significantly improved.

The past decade has seen the balanced long-term population growth and the improved health of the elderly and children. The childbirth policy has been refined. Policies allowing couples to have two children if either parent is an only child, allowing couples to have two children, and then allowing couples to have three children have been successively implemented.

Meanwhile, a series of supporting policies was launched. China has implemented the national strategy for addressing population aging, improved integrated medical and elderly care services, and actively promoted the building of an elderly-friendly society.

The ability to ensure the safety of mothers and infants has been significantly improved. China’s infant mortality rate and mortality rate of children under 5 years old are far lower than the average level of middle- and high-income countries. The core health indicators of mothers and infants have been further improved.

The past decade has seen the deepened reform of the medical and health system and gradual resolution of the problems of access to and affordability of medical services. The practice of hospitals subsidizing their medical services with medication sales has been brought to an end. The focus was changed from “treating disease” to “improving health.”

The experience of Sanming city’s medical reform has been promoted. The three-level network of medical and health services covering urban and rural areas has been continuously improved, and 90% of families can reach their nearest medical institution within 15 minutes.

The number of medications on the National Essential Medicines List has increased to 685. The number of people covered by basic medical insurance exceeded 1.36 billion, and the proportion of health care expenses borne by individuals dropped to 27.7%.

The past decade has seen the consolidated public health protection network and the effective prevention and control of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, occupational diseases and endemic diseases. Malaria has been eliminated in China, the target of curbing hepatitis B has been achieved, and the spread of AIDS is under effective control.

Ethnic unity and progress in the new era

The rate of premature deaths from major chronic diseases is lower than the global average. The higher prevalence of major occupational diseases such as pneumoconiosis has started to be curbed. The schistosomiasis epidemic has fallen to the lowest level in history, and the goals of the three-year campaign on preventing and curing endemic diseases have been achieved as scheduled.

In the face of COVID-19, the most serious infectious disease pandemic in the world in a century, China is adhering to the general strategy of “preventing inbound infections and domestic resurgence” and a dynamic zero-COVID policy.

China has been constantly adjusting prevention and control measures according to the situation, protecting the lives and health of the people to the greatest extent and coordinating the prevention and control of the epidemic and economic and social development. China has withstood the severe test and fully demonstrated China’s spirit, strength and sense of responsibility.

The past decade has seen an increasingly higher overall quality of healthcare workers and enhanced medical technology capacity and quality. By 2021, there were nearly 14 million health professionals in China, with an increasing number of capable personnel with talents of all kinds, 72% of whom were technical personnel working on the ground.

China has worked to build a high-quality and efficient medical services system, set up national and regional medical centers, advanced the construction of healthcare consortiums in urban areas and at the county level, and deepened the reform of the medical and health care systems at the county level. Now 50% of country’s hospitals are capable of performing complicated surgeries.

China has worked to meet the goal of treating severe and critical illnesses within all provincial-level regions, common ailments treated at the city or county hospitals and mild diseases treated at nearby medical institutions in towns and villages. The annual average medical diagnosis and treatment per person and the hospitalization rate gradually reached or approached the average level of developed countries.

The past decade has seen the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through innovation, with more people having more convenient access to TCM services and confidently using related medicines.

China has stepped up to build a high-quality and efficient TCM services system. The capacity of the community-level TCM services has made notable improvements. The TCM services are increasingly equitable, accessible and convenient. China has actively introduced TCM to the rest of the world. As a result, TCM is now available in 196 countries and regions.

The past decade has seen the rapid development of medical science and technology, with China participating in global health governance at a deeper level and in a broader scope. A special program has contributed to developing China’s new medicine R&D, from making generic versions to creating new medicines.

Another program has raised the abilities for comprehensive prevention and control, handling emergencies and scientific research when responding to new and sudden outbreaks of infectious diseases swiftly and effectively.

China has participated in global health governance at a deeper level, taking concrete steps to push forward health cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, continuously providing medical assistance to foreign countries and showcasing China’s sense of responsibility in building a global community of health during the battles against the Ebola epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In general, China has made unprecedented progress in healthcare over the past decade. Moreover, people are increasingly feeling the benefits of the country’s progress. The average life expectancy in China rose from 74.8 years to 78.2 years, a historic improvement.

The core health indicators of the Chinese rank among the highest of the middle- and high-income countries. People’s right to health is guaranteed, highlighting the people-centered development philosophy adopted by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.

China will continue to improve national health policy and ensure the delivery of comprehensive lifecycle health services for the people, cementing the foundation of health for the second centenary goal.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022