China Youth Daily:

Chronic diseases have become one of the major issues affecting national health, and their management is a long-term and complex process. Could you please elaborate on the key work that the NHC has carried out in terms of comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases? Thank you.

Lei Haichao:

I'll invite Mr. Yu Xuejun to answer this question.

Yu Xuejun:

Thank you for your question and your concern about chronic diseases. Chronic diseases, abbreviated as non-communicable diseases, are in contrast to infectious diseases. First and foremost, I would like to stress that both chronic and infectious diseases are of great importance and pose long-term public health challenges for us. Therefore, while focusing on infectious disease prevention and control, we must also attach importance to the prevention and control of chronic diseases without any letup. As our country's population ages and lifestyles change, the incidence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancers are generally on the rise. Chronic diseases account for over 80% of total deaths. Due to their high incidence, long duration, low effective control rate and heavy economic burden, they have become major issues that threaten people's health and impact economic and social development, necessitating the need for comprehensive prevention and control measures.

The NHC gives priority to prevention, strengthens the integration of medical care and prevention, and promotes the establishment of a comprehensive health management service system for chronic diseases that covers the entire population, the whole lifecycle and the whole process. We have included the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases as well as diabetes in the overall plan of the Healthy China Initiative as major special projects. Together with more than 10 departments, we have issued implementation plans to promote the implementation of the Medium- to Long-Term Plan on the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases (2017-2025), as well as have established a comprehensive prevention and control system for chronic diseases that encompasses multiple diseases under joint prevention and management. Over 97% of counties and districts have launched healthy lifestyle initiatives centered on "reducing salt, oil and sugar intake, promoting oral health, maintaining a healthy weight and ensuring strong bones." As of 2023, a total of 485 national comprehensive prevention and control demonstration zones for chronic diseases have been established nationwide, covering 17% of counties and districts. At the same time, we are focusing on early screening and intervention for major chronic diseases, gradually establishing a comprehensive management service model that covers prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases have been initiated at earlier stages. Currently, the premature death rate from major chronic diseases in our country has decreased from 18.5% in 2015 to 15% in 2023.

That's all I have to say, thank you.