Phoenix Satellite Television:

As we know, TCM is deeply rooted in local communities and among the public. What new measures have been taken to expand TCM services at the community level? Thank you. 

Yu Yanhong:

Thank you for your questions. The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine has always prioritized improving TCM services at the community level, adhered to addressing weak links and strengthening its foundation, and strived to offer people convenient and doorstep TCM services. To date, China has established a TCM service system covering provinces, cities, counties, and townships, better meeting the needs of urban and rural residents for relevant services.

First, we have accelerated the building of a community-level TCM services network, promoted the full coverage of county-level TCM medical institutions, expanded the coverage of TCM centers in all community health service centers and medical centers in townships, and supported the setting up of TCM cabinets in community health service centers and village clinics where conditions permit. As of the end of 2022, the coverage rate of county-level TCM medical institutions had reached 87.78%, and a total of 40,674 TCM medical centers had been established across the country, giving 99.5% of community health services centers and 99.4% of township-level medical centers access to TCM services.

Second, we have intensified our efforts to nurture TCM talents at the community level. To implement the talent training plan, we have applied the policy of free training of compulsory rural service-oriented students, strengthened personnel training in TCM centers, and advanced relevant programs such as the building of a workshop team for renowned and experienced TCM doctors at the community level to make TCM services more accessible. To date, the number of TCM practitioners (assistants) in primary-level medical and health institutions stands at 205,000, accounting for 19.65% of the total across China.

Third, we have focused on enriching the content of TCM. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), we planned to support all county-level TCM hospitals to build two priority specialties with TCM characteristics and one county-level promotion center for TCM-appropriate technologies. To date, we have completed the construction work of 593 county-level TCM hospitals. We have guided the standardized implementation of more than 10 TCM-appropriate technologies in six categories in TCM centers, and more than six TCM-appropriate technologies in four categories in TCM cabinets. We have also launched a health information platform for TCM centers, employing advanced technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence to provide auxiliary diagnoses for medical workers to improve service capacity.

For the next step, we will work with relevant departments to take the implementation of the major project for the revitalization and development of TCM as a starting point. We will advance the action plan for the project to improve TCM services at the community level during the14th Five-Year Plan period, expand the effective supply of TCM talents at the community level, promote pairing-up assistance programs between urban and rural areas in TCM services, improve the standardization of TCM services at the community level, and continue to make TCM services more accessible, fairer, and convenient. Thank you.