Read in Chinese
Speakers:
Mr. Lei Haichao, minister of the National Health Commission (NHC)
Mr. Wang Hesheng, vice minister of the NHC and administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration
Mr. Yu Xuejun, vice minister of the NHC
Ms. Yu Yanhong, a member of the leading Party members group of the NHC and commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Chairperson:
Ms. Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Sept. 12, 2024
Xing Huina:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference hosted by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) as part of the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Lei Haichao, minister of the National Health Commission (NHC), to brief you on relevant developments and to answer your questions. Also present today are Mr. Wang Hesheng, vice minister of the NHC and administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration; Mr. Yu Xuejun, vice minister of the NHC; and Ms. Yu Yanhong, a member of the Leading Party Members Group of the NHC and commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Lei for his introduction.
Lei Haichao:
Dear journalists, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I am pleased to attend this press conference on high-quality development hosted by the SCIO. Today, major officials from the NHC, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration are all present. We are willing to discuss and share information about current work concerning health care, disease prevention and control, and traditional Chinese medicine, as well as to answer questions that you may find of interest. First, let me provide an overview of the basic situation and relevant circumstances in health care development.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the national health care system has adhered to the Party's guidelines for health care work in the new era, implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and promoted the high-quality development of health care. We have achieved a series of important accomplishments and positive progress.
First, we have adhered to prevention as the main priority, protecting the health of the people from the source. We have implemented the Healthy China Action Plan and patriotic health campaigns, and carried out a series of health knowledge promotional activities. Especially in recent years, the public's demand for health-related knowledge has been very urgent and diversified. The NHC has consistently and frequently released health-related knowledge, disseminating health information to promote good lifestyles and habits among residents and the public. In this regard, we have had positive interactions with the general public. Since this year, we have launched activities related to the 24 solar terms, specifically the "Seasons, Solar Terms and Health" thematic knowledge release, which has attracted significant public attention. This type of dissemination is also a way to promote brilliant traditional Chinese culture. Combining the changes in the solar terms, we explain to the public health-related knowledge according to time and location that they should pay attention to. That has been well received by the public. At the same time, we have vigorously carried out patriotic health campaigns. Here, I would like to share some data. We have now established 1,052 national healthy cities, counties and districts, and 2,637 national healthy towns. Thanks to the program implemented nationwide to promote equal access to basic public health services, the per-capita allowance for basic public health services has been increased from 15 yuan in 2009 to 94 yuan ($13.41) in 2024, with public finance playing an active driving role to ensure that. Meanwhile, through our monitoring, the health literacy of the population is gradually improving and some major risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, among other chronic diseases, have been further controlled.
Second, we have focused on the grassroots level to provide residents with convenient and accessible medical care services. Focusing on the grassroots is a requirement of the Party's health guidelines in the new era. The NHC resolutely implements the work guideline focusing on the grassroots, treating the immediate concerns of the people as a top priority to be implemented. Here, I would also like to share more with you. Over the years, through relentless efforts, we have promoted the expansion and decentralization of high-quality medical resources. We have now established national medical centers in 13 categories, which are not located in Beijing but are planned across the country. Additionally, we have established 125 national regional medical centers and promoted the construction of provincial regional medical centers, making the distribution and layout of medical resources more balanced and closer to the people. Moreover, we have organized and encouraged tertiary and secondary hospitals to provide assistance and support at the grassroots level. Yesterday afternoon, the NHC organized a national medical tour team to carry out this new form of service. This year, all 44 hospitals under the jurisdiction of the NHC will participate in the national medical tour, bringing high-quality and efficient services to the people in the central and western regions, especially those living in counties. At the same time, our national medical tour team will also help local areas improve their technical and management levels, extending the capabilities of our national team to the county level. According to our monitoring, 92% of county-level hospitals have now reached both the service capacity and the level of secondary hospitals or above. Additionally, our county-level medical institutions also vigorously assist and support township and countryside grassroots, such as township health centers and community health service centers, forming a virtuous interaction where higher-level medical institutions help lower-level.
Third, we have been committed to public welfare, deepening the coordinated reform and governance of health care, health insurance and pharmaceuticals. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made it clear that public welfare is the prominent feature of the health care industry. In collaboration with relevant departments, the NHC has been advancing and deepening medical reforms. Over the past decade, especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have historically eliminated the old operating mechanism of charging more for medicines and medical consumables to make up for low prices for medical services and have preliminarily established a new operating mechanism dominated by medical services. Public medical institutions' income has shifted from the original three channels to two: government financial subsidies and medical service fees. The old mechanism of relying on medicines and consumables to compensate for medical services no longer exists. Public welfare has been further strengthened, which has also greatly enhanced the role of public hospitals. In the process of advancing medical reforms, Sanming city in Fujian province has created many fresh experiences, which have been studied and promoted in many places across the country. Some practices from Sanming, Fujian, have also been elevated to national policies, ensuring good implementation and execution, as well as re-creation and re-innovation within health work.
Fourth, we have been committed to adjusting and improving the childbirth policy to promote balanced population growth in the long run. Based on the size, structure and trends of the population, we have worked to improve and adjust the childbirth policy from the perspective of promoting high-quality economic and social development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have successively introduced adjustments to the childbirth policy, including the two-child policy for couples of which one partner is an only child, the universal two-child policy and the three-child policy, which have been welcomed by the public and also respond to the general environment and situation of the country's rapidly aging population. Additionally, we persist in optimizing and enhancing maternal and child health care services as well as improving the level of childbirth services. Currently, our indicators related to maternal and child health are among the leading in upper-middle-income countries.
Fifth, we remain committed to advancing the integration of science, technology, education and talent while nurturing and developing new quality productive forces. By the end of last year, China accounted for over 20% of new drugs under development globally. This marked a significant breakthrough, placing China second worldwide in new drug development. As of late last year, over 80,000 rural medical students, trained through government-funded programs, had graduated and gone on to work in township health centers and village clinics, ensuring a steady flow of skilled health care professionals to rural areas. Additionally, more than 500,000 medical graduates with bachelor's degrees or higher enter the workforce annually. This influx of new professionals provides strong momentum for the development of our health care system. I'd also like to share that, as of the end of 2023, China's health care system employed 15.23 million staff, including 12.48 million professional technical personnel, making our health care service the world's largest. This accomplishment reflects the positive results of 75 years of continuous effort since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the years, we've transitioned from merely following others to keeping pace and even leading in fields like artificial intelligence, surgical robots, medical imaging equipment, and life monitoring and emergency medical devices, achieving internationally advanced or leading standards.
Sixth, by upholding the principle of putting people and their lives first, we have achieved decisive victories in both health programs for poverty alleviation and the fight against COVID-19. We have remedied the shortfall in medical workers and institutions at the village and township level. This achievement has contributed significantly to our goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. We have successfully ensured basic health care for all. As we continue with rural revitalization, we must maintain these standards and closely watch rural residents' health and medical needs. In response to the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to nationwide efforts, we managed to achieve what can only be described as a historic miracle — successfully navigating a pandemic in a country with such a large population. Remarkably, during the past few years of the pandemic, our life expectancy has continued to rise. According to the latest statistics, in 2023, China's average life expectancy reached 78.6 years, more than three years higher than in 2012. This growth rate is impressive, not only among developing countries but also when compared to high-income nations.
The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee outlined significant reforms in the health sector and proposed implementing a health-first strategy, elevating the importance of health care to a new level within the Party's overall framework. We must now actively make detailed plans to ensure its full implementation. Additionally, we remain committed to the ambitious goal of building a healthy China by 2035. This Healthy China Initiative aims to strengthen the foundation of public health, underpinning China's modernization and providing a powerful boost to the nation's development amid efforts to strengthen China's science and technology, education, and public health. Of course, many challenges and issues still need to be addressed, particularly the imbalances and inadequacies in health care development. These remain key areas of focus and goals for our future efforts.
That's all for my introduction. Next, my colleagues and I are ready to answer your questions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Xing Huina:
The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.
Health News:
How has public health in China changed since the launch of the Healthy China Initiative? Moreover, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed a health-first development strategy. How does this relate to the Healthy China Initiative? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
Thank you for your questions. I'll take them. Health is a crucial form of human capital and the cornerstone of development. Without it, development is impossible. That's why health is integral to China's high-quality economic and social development. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have made health a top priority. Through efforts like the Healthy China Initiative, patriotic health campaigns, and basic public health services, we've achieved significant improvements in public health awareness and literacy. Let me highlight a few key points.
First, personal health awareness has significantly improved. We've consistently promoted health education, addressing challenges like an aging population, declining birth rates and changing lifestyles. It's crucial to teach people how to avoid health risks in daily life, work, and their environment, as well as to encourage them to adopt healthy habits. One key message we emphasize is that everyone is the first person responsible for their health. To support this, the NHC, collaborating with local health authorities, disease control centers and traditional Chinese medicine agencies, has implemented frequent health education campaigns. I'm pleased to report that health literacy in China has increased from 17% in 2018 to 29.7% in 2023, an increase of nearly 13 percentage points in five years. This is a significant achievement.
Second, the overall health of the population has significantly improved. Through the Healthy China Initiative, we've enhanced medical services, especially by bringing health care closer to people's homes, making it more accessible. We've also targeted key groups with specific health concerns. For example, we've tackled issues like myopia, obesity and malnutrition in schoolchildren, as well as high cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure among middle-aged and older people, through lifestyle interventions and health education. The myopia rate among children and teenagers decreased to 51.9% in 2022, down 1.7 percentage points from 2018. Thanks to joint efforts from the education, health care, and media sectors, we've halted the worsening trend of myopia rates among youth and continue to build on this success. Additionally, we've improved workplace health by addressing occupational diseases. This includes enhancing work environments to reduce conditions like occupational hearing loss and respiratory illnesses. In 2023, newly reported cases of occupational diseases dropped by 48.6% compared to 2018. For the elderly, we've promoted health education, improved nutrition and enhanced dental care. Through the combined efforts of maternal and child health workers and society at large, the under-5 mortality rate fell to 6.2 per 1,000 in 2023, and the maternal mortality rate dropped to 15.1 per 100,000. These are the best figures we've ever recorded in China, matching the levels of advanced middle- to high-income countries globally.
Third, the impact of the environment and major diseases on public health has been steadily reduced and controlled. In recent years, through efforts to promote ecological progress and address environmental pollution, key environmental indicators such as air, water and soil quality have significantly improved, leading to a higher quality of life for the public. Additionally, we have strengthened early diagnosis and treatment for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. As a result, the premature mortality rate from major chronic diseases dropped from 17.36% in 2018 to 15% in 2023.
The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee advanced the proposal to implement a health-first development strategy. Moving forward, we will diligently carry out the decisions and arrangements of the central authorities, thoroughly studying the strategic priorities, specific policies, and implementation measures of the health-first strategy. In particular, we will focus on refining governance policies and regulations in areas such as development planning, government investment, and social governance to achieve the goals of the health-first strategy. Moreover, we will make ensuring and improving public health a key objective and metric of socioeconomic development, and we will work to establish a health impact assessment system through legislation. In addition, we will continue to push forward the Healthy China Initiative, patriotic health campaigns, and the creation of healthy villages while promoting stronger collaboration and integration between hospitals and disease prevention and control institutions as well as public participation. The conducive policies and decisions laid out at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee will be effectively implemented in our practical work. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Cover News:
Demographic development is a crucial matter concerning the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In recent years, China's demographic trends have been characterized by low birth rates, an aging population, and regional disparities in population growth. Faced with these new circumstances, what's your strategy to promote high-quality population development? Thank you.
Yu Xuejun:
Thank you for your question. The demographic changes you mentioned are the result of socioeconomic development and align with the general trends of global demographic transition and modernization. In response to this new demographic situation, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important proposal and related requirements for supporting Chinese modernization through high-quality population development at the first meeting of the Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs under the 20th CPC Central Committee on May 5, 2023. The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee also explicitly called for improving the system of fertility support policies and incentive mechanisms, fostering a birth-friendly society, and promoting high-quality population development. Demography matters to all countries. Demographic development is a high-stakes issue affecting the national economy and people's well-being. We must follow the unified arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and ensure coordinated efforts across localities and departments, making sustained efforts over the long term.
We will fulfill our duties by doing work in the following aspects. First, we will thoroughly implement the health-first development strategy, establishing a population service system that covers all people throughout their entire lives. This includes enhancing the management of major chronic diseases, increasing the average life expectancy, and steadily improving the overall health of the population. Second, in collaboration with relevant departments, we will accelerate the creation and improvement of a policy system to support childbirth, develop an inclusive childcare service system, reduce the burden of childbirth, childcare, and education on families, maintain an appropriate birth rate and population size, and promote long-term balanced population development. Third, we will strongly advocate for marriage and childbirth at an appropriate age, promote healthy childbirth and parenting, encourage shared childcare responsibilities between spouses, and respect the societal value of childbirth. We will also guide young people to consider marriage, childbirth and family from a more positive perspective, cultivating a new culture around these concepts and creating a birth-friendly society.
Next, the NHC will thoroughly implement the central government's decisions and plans, integrating high-quality population development with improving people's quality of life. We will accelerate the execution of various tasks and address the urgent and pressing issues related to childbirth, childcare and education that concern the public. These efforts will drive high-quality population development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Jinan Times APP:
In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted increasing attention thanks to its unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of diseases. What results have been achieved regarding high-quality TCM development since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
Thank you. Ms. Yu will answer this question.
Yu Yanhong:
Thank you for the question. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made multiple important instructions on promoting the high-quality development of TCM and related industries, and we have conscientiously implemented his important directives on TCM-related work and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee. We have carried forward the fine elements of TCM, innovating while upholding principles. Focusing on the implementation of the TCM development plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period and major projects for rejuvenating TCM, we have facilitated the rapid and high-quality development of TCM in the new era. According to evaluations, three out of the 15 major development targets outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan have already been achieved ahead of schedule, and progress on the remaining targets is proceeding as planned. The main results are as follows:
TCM service capabilities have improved significantly. We have focused on enhancing strengths, addressing weaknesses, building TCM hubs, and strengthening grassroots infrastructure. On the one hand, we have relied on top-tier TCM hospitals to promote the construction of national TCM research centers. So far, we have established 27 TCM programs at regional medical centers, mapped out 35 national TCM epidemic prevention and control bases, and selected 1,158 national TCM specialty departments. These efforts have expanded premium medical resources in lower-level institutions and improved the regional distribution of these resources. On the other hand, we have supported 130 prefecture-level TCM hospitals in developing key TCM specialties and over 1,000 county-level TCM hospitals in establishing at least two specialty departments and one center for promoting suitable TCM techniques countywide. We have achieved full coverage of TCM facilities in community health service centers and township health centers. Overall, we have built a high-quality, efficient TCM service system. To illustrate, in 2023, there were 93,000 TCM medical institutions nationwide, providing 1.54 billion patient consultations, representing a 29.2% increase in the number of institutions and a 67.4% increase in consultations compared to 2020.
The integrated development of TCM education, technology and talent cultivation has yielded new results. In education, we have deepened collaboration between hospitals and educational institutions by establishing a joint TCM graduate school and developing 321 high-level TCM departments for academic research. These efforts have driven reform and high-quality development in education and teaching. In terms of sci-tech innovation, we have focused on better clarifying and demonstrating the curative effects of TCM. This effort has resulted in the establishment of new platforms, systems and mechanisms for sci-tech innovation. We undertook the special task of TCM modernization under the national key research and development program, built seven national key laboratories and two national clinical research centers for TCM, and mapped out 46 national TCM inheritance and innovation centers. Notably, the International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry, operated by the China Center for Evidence Based Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been recognized as a WHO Primary Registry and has released numerous TCM treatments for key diseases, appropriate TCM technologies, and uniquely effective TCM medicines. In terms of talent development, we implemented a project to cultivate TCM specialists, building a tiered, high-caliber talent pool consisting of leaders, outstanding figures, and key professionals. In the TCM community, this project is warmly referred to as the "Qihuang Project" (named after the two founders of TCM, Qibo and Huangdi). Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, five TCM experts have been inducted into the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. We also selected and honored the fourth cohort of 30 TCM Masters, along with 101 nationally famous TCM practitioners. As of the end of last year, the number of TCM practitioners nationwide (including assistant physicians) had reached 868,000.
The recognition and influence of TCM have continued to increase. The show "China Traditional Chinese Medicine Conference" garnered national attention after its debut on CCTV. Meanwhile, TCM cultural night markets have become immensely popular, and TCM health practices have gained a significant following among young people. TCM is increasingly becoming ingrained in the cultural mindset as a means of promoting public health. TCM has taken a more proactive role in serving China's major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Thirty high-quality TCM overseas centers have been built. TCM has been included in the list of outcomes from the China-Central Asia Summit and the results of mutual visits by the top leaders of China and Vietnam. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Forum on Traditional Medicine continues to be held annually. The Chinese medical team providing TCM aid to Cambodia has become a bond connecting the people of both countries. TCM continues to play a greater role in building a global community of health for all.
Next, we will focus on enhancing the mechanisms for preserving and innovatively developing TCM. We will further deepen comprehensive reforms in TCM to better serve the development of a healthy China and contribute to economic and social progress. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
21st Century Business Herald:
In recent years, there's been growing recognition of early detection's crucial role in preventing and controlling infectious diseases. Could you highlight some new features and initiatives in China's current infectious disease monitoring and early warning system? Thank you.
Wang Hesheng:
Thank you for your question. Strengthening monitoring and early warning systems to ensure that risks are identified as soon as they emerge is the first step to effectively prevent and defuse the risk of epidemics. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that enhancing early monitoring and warning capabilities is an urgent priority in improving the public health system. The National Disease Control and Prevention Administration is committed to top-level design, a problem-oriented approach and clear priorities. We have made establishing and improving the infectious disease monitoring and early warning system our primary task.
In recent years, with support from the Ministry of Finance, NHC, Customs and other departments, we've established 10 infectious disease monitoring systems. These include sentinel hospitals, virus mutation tracking and urban sewage analysis, which have successfully supported early warning and prediction of infectious disease outbreaks. Responding to concurrent epidemics of respiratory infections like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and mycoplasma pneumonia, we've implemented comprehensive monitoring of 15 common respiratory pathogens. This allows for "multi-disease monitoring and multi-testing from a single sample," enabling timely tracking of epidemic trends and pathogen composition. This approach has significantly bolstered clinical treatment and epidemic prevention efforts. Furthermore, we're accelerating the development of an information platform for infectious disease monitoring, early warning and emergency command. Building on pilot projects in Tianjin, Hubei and Anhui, we're deploying intelligent monitoring and early warning software to all secondary and higher-level medical institutions nationwide. This initiative aims to enhance effective information sharing between medical institutions and disease prevention and control institutions.
Recently, with the approval of the State Council, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, NHC and seven other departments jointly issued the "Guidance on Establishing and Improving an Intelligent Multi-Point Triggering System for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Early Warning." This guidance outlines plans to build a multi-point triggering, rapid-responding, and efficient infectious disease monitoring and early warning system by 2030. The goal is to achieve internationally advanced capabilities in early detection, scientific assessment and timely warning of epidemics. Moving forward, we will focus on implementing this guidance, emphasizing three key aspects: diversification of data sources, intelligent systems and standardized procedures. These efforts aim to enhance our capacity for infectious disease monitoring and early warning.
First, we will focus on multi-channel monitoring to enhance early detection and identification capabilities. While optimizing the direct online reporting system for infectious diseases, we'll primarily strengthen three active monitoring and early warning networks: sentinel hospitals, monitoring sites and network laboratories. We'll develop multi-source channels, including interdepartmental coordination, social perception and global epidemic monitoring. This approach will interconnect and cross-validate data from human, animal and environmental domains, enabling multi-point triggering and early warning.
Second, we will focus on leveraging new technologies to enhance intelligent systems. We'll employ big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other information technologies to build multi-dimensional monitoring and early warning indicators, databases and model repositories. This will enable automatic triggering, capture and early warning of abnormal signals. We aim to create a unified "dashboard" for monitoring and early warning, improving our capacity for data-driven decision-making.
Third, we will focus on standardized management to improve the timeliness of assessment and early warning. We'll enhance systems for infectious disease monitoring, risk assessment, early warning management and information disclosure. This will refine mechanisms for interdepartmental information sharing and consultation, enhance collaboration between hospitals and disease control institutions, and ensure a smooth transition from normal to emergency states. We'll promptly issue health risk alerts, warning bulletins and early warning recommendations in accordance with the law. By strengthening coordination between epidemic prevention, control and emergency response, we aim to effectively prevent and mitigate epidemic risks. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Farmers' Daily:
In recent years, the NHC has prioritized the development of closely integrated medical and health consortia at the county level. This approach aims to integrate and connect various medical and health institutions across multiple levels within counties. What tangible benefits does this bring to residents? How exactly are these medical and health institutions being integrated and connected? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
Thank you for your questions. I will answer them. The comprehensive advancement of closely integrated county-level medical consortia is a decision and arrangement by the CPC Central Committee and State Council. We have also carried out pilot programs in this area for several years. The purpose of promoting tightly knit county-level medical consortia is to build connections between medical and health institutions at different levels, ensuring the free flow of information and personnel. Additionally, we aim to create an organically integrated management structure. This allows resources and management expertise from higher-level health institutions to support and promote the development of medical and health institutions at the grassroots level. Ultimately, our goal is to enable people to conveniently access higher-quality medical and health services in their local communities.
In 2019, we launched a pilot program for building closely integrated medical and health consortia, accumulating several years of experience. After careful analysis and assessment, we decided to promote this initiative, which benefits people's livelihoods, into a unified national action. Consequently, at the end of last year, 10 departments, including the NHC, jointly issued a document to comprehensively advance the construction of these consortia. The work has also been highly valued by local governments and has been advanced at a fast pace. I'm pleased to report that by the end of August this year, the number of closely integrated medical and health consortia reached 2,171. This progress aligns with our expectations, and we anticipate achieving our projected target ahead of schedule, providing more convenience to the public. We've also prioritized the application of information technology in promoting these consortia. During our investigations and research, we found many areas have adopted a system where examinations are conducted at the grassroots level, and diagnoses are made at higher-level facilities, with results mutually recognized. This approach improves and better guarantees diagnosis at the grassroots level. We will continue to advance this popular initiative.
Here, I want to share with you that 90.9% of counties have achieved full coverage in dispatching medical personnel from county-level hospitals to township-level health centers. This means nearly 91% of counties have sent staff from county-level units to townships for extended stays. According to our requirements, medical personnel dispatched to township-level health centers should stay for at least six months and rotate regularly. This ensures township-level health centers have sufficient capable professionals to serve the public. Additionally, methods such as touring medical services and telemedicine, which I mentioned earlier, are widely used at the county level and are popular among residents. Our monitoring shows that the "examination at the grassroots level, diagnosis at a higher level" approach is now applied in two-thirds of township-level health centers. After several years of exploration, we've developed an effective path and implementation measures in this field. According to our work plan, by the end of next year, more than 90% of counties will establish medical and health consortia at the county level, with improved integration. This means better coordination between higher-level and lower-level institutions, more integrated information systems, and more frequent personnel exchanges, continuously improving service capacity and quality at the grassroots level.
That's all from me. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:
The complementary and coordinated development of TCM and Western medicine is a notable advantage in China's health care system. What achievements have been made in promoting their coordinated development to better serve public health? Thank you.
Yu Yanhong:
Thank you for this excellent question. Both TCM and Western medicine have their unique strengths. When facing challenging diseases affecting public health, both serve as powerful tools for treatment and prevention. The integration of TCM and Western medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened our understanding of their combined potential. The NHC and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine consistently emphasize the importance of both approaches. We focus on continuously highlighting and amplifying the significant advantage of the complementary and coordinated development of TCM and Western medicine in advancing the Healthy China Initiative.. We've implemented a project to promote their coordination, launching a series of initiatives in areas such as mechanism development, model innovation, and talent support. These combined efforts have yielded significant results.
On the one hand, we've continuously strengthened the coordination system and mechanisms between TCM and Western medicine. As part of institutional reforms, the NATCM established a dedicated department for integrating TCM, Western medicine and ethnic minority medicine, coordinating these efforts at the national level. Together with the NHC, we have made special arrangements for TCM in general hospitals, launching actions to enhance the collaborative development of Chinese and Western medicine in these facilities. This initiative encourages general hospitals, specialized hospitals, and maternal and child health institutions to develop an integration model characterized by established mechanisms, dedicated teams, effective measures and tangible outcomes. Currently, many general hospitals have established mechanisms for the coordinated development of traditional Chinese and Western medicine and multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment systems. Focusing on key diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and pediatric diseases, Chinese and Western medical practitioners conduct joint rounds and consultations, collaboratively formulating diagnosis and treatment plans. This approach has significantly improved clinical efficacy.
On the other hand, the collaborative service capabilities of TCM and Western medicine continue to improve. More than 90% of public general hospitals at Grade II and above have established TCM clinical departments. For the first time nationwide, 62 "flagship" hospitals and 559 "flagship" departments for TCM and Western medicine collaboration have been selected, creating model examples of this integration. Many well-known hospitals, such as Peking Union Medical College Hospital, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, and Peking University First Hospital, are leading and promoting this work. Focusing on major and difficult diseases that seriously affect people's health, such as severe pancreatitis, chronic stable coronary heart disease, and cancer, efforts have been made to tackle these issues through collaboration between TCM and Western medicine. The combined treatment of TCM and Western medicine has significantly improved clinical efficacy. To date, we have promoted the release of the first batch of 52 clinical diagnosis and treatment plans integrating TCM and Western medicine, and over 150 new clinical cooperation projects focusing on major and difficult diseases have been selected. We are actively exploring new ideas, methods, and models that integrate TCM and Western medicine for disease prevention and treatment. This allows us to offer the public more effective treatment plans that combine the advantages of both approaches.
At the same time, we're strengthening the role of professionals trained in both TCM and Western medicine. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, we're piloting a nine-year integrated TCM and Western medicine education program and introducing mandatory TCM courses in undergraduate clinical medicine curricula. We're actively promoting TCM education for Western medicine practitioners. At the national level, we've launched high-level training initiatives, including the New Era Advanced Talent Program for Western medicine practitioners learning TCM. At the provincial level, we are also conducting specialized TCM training programs for Western medicine practitioners. To date, over 220,000 individuals have participated in these programs, significantly expanding our pool of integrated medicine talent. A notable example is Tu Youyou, the 2015 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, who was an outstanding representative of China's first class of Western-trained doctors studying TCM.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
CCTV:
Deepening the reform of public hospitals with a focus on public welfare is a top priority among the various tasks of health care reform. How should we interpret the concept of public welfare in this context? How can we ensure public welfare while also motivating medical staff? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
Thank you for your question. I'll address this. Public medical institutions form the backbone of China's health care system. They handle over 80% of the country's annual outpatient and emergency visits. Their role is even more prominent in inpatient services. As a result, the public trusts and prefers these institutions for medical treatment. Therefore, ensuring and enhancing the public welfare aspect of these institutions is a matter of concern for the whole society and a key task of medical reform. The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has provided clear directives on safeguarding and improving the public welfare role of these institutions. We can understand and implement these directives from four perspectives.
First, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasized adhering to a public welfare orientation. As the primary providers of health care services, public medical institutions must always prioritize public welfare. This focus on public welfare should be prominent in hospital management, development strategies, macro-level planning, and government investment.
Second, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee explicitly called for establishing a dynamic adjustment mechanism for public hospital staffing. This involves adjusting the size of public medical institutions and ensuring adequate staffing based on changes in local population demographics, public health care needs, and available financial resources. We will formulate corresponding dynamic adjustment standards. Local governments should implement these standards to adjust public hospital staffing accordingly. This approach aims to ensure that qualified, capable, and ethically sound medical professionals receive job security, allowing them to focus on providing health care services to the public with peace of mind.
Third, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly proposed establishing a fee mechanism led by medical services. Reforming medical service pricing is a crucial part of public hospital reform. Currently, the main tasks of price reform include incorporating clinically proven and professionally recognized services and technologies into the scope of price management and medical insurance coverage. This should be done in a timely manner and in accordance with changes in medical insurance fund contributions, cost savings from centralized procurement of drugs and medical consumables, and new trends in medical technology. Additionally, necessary adjustments should be made to medical service prices that have long been undervalued, within the limits of what medical insurance funds and the public can afford. At the same time, the reform aims to establish and improve a diversified payment system within medical insurance that supports technological development while controlling unreasonable cost increases.
The fourth aspect involves improving the remuneration system in public hospitals, which is also a reform task designated at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. A reform to the remuneration system can be briefly summarized in two sentences. The first sentence is to implement the "two allowances" policy. The second is to adequately adjust "three structures." "Two allowances" refers to the policy that relevant departments, when verifying the performance-based wages of personnel in public medical institutions, should approve the total amount and make dynamic adjustments to synchronize the performance-based wages of medical staff with economic and social development as well as changes in price levels, reflecting the labor value of doctors and encouraging high rewards for excellent work as well as more pay for more work. To adequately adjust "three structures" refers to the following: first, public medical institutions should regard serving the public interest as their ultimate objective, gradually narrowing the gap in performance-based wages between public medical institutions of different levels. Second, adhering to the requirement of serving the public interest, they should gradually narrow the gap in pay packages among different specialties and departments within medical institutions, so as to improve the income of medical professionals in relatively weak specialties such as pediatrics, pathology, mental health, anesthesia, general practice and obstetrics. Last, in accordance with the requirement of serving the public interest, the proportion of fixed income in the performance-based wages of medical staff should be gradually increased, while the proportion of flexible income bonuses should be appropriately regulated, so as to better align with the positioning of serving the public interest as well as to encourage medical and health professionals to improve skills and provide better services, rather than simply linking personal income with revenue-generating capabilities.
Finally, I would like to emphasize that to ensure that public hospitals better serve the public interest it is also necessary to strengthen comprehensive supervision and strictly control the unreasonable growth of medical expenses, so as to ensure that the people have payment capabilities and that medical insurance funds are more stable, secure and sustainable. The NHC has established systems such as hospital inspections, prescription evaluations, and syndrome differentiation and treatment with traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, we must strengthen the application of information technology to monitor and analyze whether the diagnosis and treatment services comply with relevant standards and norms, guiding medical services to be more quality-oriented, efficient and resource- and cost-saving.
The above measures are the working ideas and initial considerations formed in accordance with the decisions and deployments of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We will further explore, improve and promote these measures with our future work, so as to ensure that public hospitals better serve the public interest, motivate and maintain the dedication of personnel as well as advance a virtuous cycle and interaction with economic and social development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
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.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
Red Star News:
At the end of last year, the General Office of the State Council issued guidelines to promote the high-quality development of disease prevention and control. What progress has been made in the past six months? Going forward, what plans and considerations does the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NDCPA) have for promoting high-quality development of disease prevention and control? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
I'll invite Mr. Wang Hesheng to answer this question.
Wang Hesheng:
Thank you for the question. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to disease prevention and control, and have made major strategic plans to reform and improve the disease control system. The NDCPA has resolutely implemented these plans and, together with relevant departments, has guided and promoted the implementation of the guidelines in various regions, achieving positive outcomes, particularly in the three aspects of system reshaping, mechanism innovation and capacity enhancement.
First, initial success has been achieved in system reshaping. Disease control and prevention bureaus have been established at all levels, and national and provincial centers for disease control and prevention have incorporated the Academy of Preventive Medicine. Two national key laboratories and nine key laboratories of the commission have been restructured and established, and 15 national regional public health centers have been designed and constructed, basically forming a fully functional disease control system with effective coordination at different levels. The strength of the professional team has also been significantly boosted. By the end of 2023, the number of professionals in disease control and supervision nationwide reached 305,000, an increase of 14% from 2019. The proportion of personnel with bachelor's degrees or above in the disease control professional team reached 61.7%, an increase of 15.6 percentage points from 2019. The proportion of senior professional and technical positions at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) increased to 55%, with the proportion at the 24 provincial centers reaching more than 40%.
Second, working mechanisms have been constantly improved through innovation. We have optimized the joint epidemic prevention and control mechanism, applied the joint mechanism previously used during the COVID-19 pandemic to the prevention and control of emerging and major infectious diseases, and continuously adjusted and improved the organizational structure and operational mode of the mechanism. Recently, we signed a cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions on the public health emergency response mechanism for infectious diseases. We have also developed new mechanisms for enhancing coordination between disease prevention and control agencies and hospitals, and formulated a list of 33 responsibilities for medical institutions in infectious disease prevention and control, ensuring that they fully shoulder their share of responsibilities in this regard. The pilot program for the disease control supervisor system in medical institutions has been expanded to all provinces. We have carried out a series of pilot schemes that focus on the coordination between disease prevention and control agencies and hospitals, the integration between disease prevention and control agencies and hospitals, as well as the prescription rights of public health physicians. Our efforts aim to guide all localities to take the initiative in advancing further collaboration between disease prevention and control agencies and hospitals so that they form synergy. We have also intensified the mechanism for talent cultivation. We have implemented support programs to nurture high-end public health professionals, selecting a group of leading experts at the national level every year. The chief expert system has been implemented in the China CDC and 15 provincial CDCs, with individuals appointed to lead various public health fields. We have also worked with the Ministry of Education to set up high-level public health schools at 18 universities across the country.
Third, core capacity has been continuously enhanced. This year, we carried out a campaign in the medical and healthcare sector to enhance professional core capabilities. In terms of monitoring and early warning, we have applied a national intelligent monitoring and early warning software for infectious diseases in all secondary and tertiary public medical institutions, in a bid to facilitate information communication between disease prevention and control agencies and hospitals. In terms of epidemiological investigation, more than 4,000 on-site epidemiological investigation professionals have been trained with the funds from the central budget. We organized a national vocational skills competition for on-site epidemiological investigation, attracting more than 30,000 participants. In terms of testing and inspection, we have established an advanced pathogen detection system, which can confirm more than 300 known pathogens within 24 hours and effectively identify emerging pathogens within 60 hours. At present, biosafety level 3 laboratories have been built in 23 provinces, and all the provincial-level and 90% of municipal-level CDCs are able to detect and isolate viruses. In terms of emergency response, the number of national prevention and control teams for sudden and acute infectious diseases is expected to reach 25, and grassroots emergency response groups have been set up in all cities and counties across the country.
For the next step, we will earnestly implement the deployments outlined at the 20th CPC National Congress and the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, assess our work done during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), and prepare to set the goals and tasks for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). We will continuously optimize strategies and measures for infectious disease prevention and control, and step up efforts to improve the scientific research system for infectious disease prevention and control and public health care, which applies to both regular cases and emergency responses. We will constantly strengthen core capabilities and advance the modernization of disease prevention and control work through high-quality development, in a bid to safeguard public health as well as economic and social development. Thank you.
Xing Huina:
One last question, please.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_
China Daily:
In China, there are not only big cities with abundant medical resources but also remote and mountainous areas. How do you guide and support the flow of medical resources to grassroots and remote areas so as to accelerate the regional balance and homogenization of medical services? Thank you.
Lei Haichao:
Thanks for your question. I will take this one. Shortage and uneven distribution of high-quality medical resources are common problems faced by all countries. The Chinese government has paid high attention to these issues. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have implemented a series of effective measures that are mainly focused on the following three aspects.
First, we have increased the scale and volume of high-quality medical resources. In recent years, we have expanded their volume in terms of national medical centers, regional medical centers, and medical centers. We have set up 13 national medical centers specializing in different fields of medicine, 125 national-level regional medical centers and 114 provincial-level regional medical centers in the country. As these medical centers are put into use, China's medical resources and service capacity have achieved leapfrog development and become more balanced among eastern, central and western regions.
Second, we have reallocated more high-quality medical resources to grassroots areas. We have made a forward-looking layout for national medical resources so as to better support grassroots hospitals and improve their technological services and management through joint efforts. In the past 20 years, pairing-off assistance has been carried out between tertiary hospitals and county-level hospitals, and thousands of doctors have been encouraged to participate in rural health projects. By doing so, high-quality medical resources have been gradually brought to rural residents. We have sent teams of medical personnel to provide assistance to seriously impoverished counties, significantly improving the local medical service capacity. We have also organized nationwide medical-aid tours. On Sept. 11, all 44 hospitals managed by the NHC began this year's medical-aid tours, marking the first full participation of hospitals managed by the commission. In addition, we have required national medical centers and national-level regional medical centers to make medical-aid tours in the future. In recent years, we have also been inclined to establish national key clinical specialties in cities that are not provincial capitals. According to statistics, 40% of newly-built projects with key clinical specialties in the country have been located in non-provincial-capital cities, which also showcases our favorable policies for more balanced medical services.
Third, we have leveraged information technology to support our work. With 5G technology and other advanced information networks, medical services can be delivered across areas. For example, we have beefed up our efforts to establish internet hospitals. At present, 3,340 such hospitals across the country can provide more than 100 million online diagnoses and treatments each year, effectively complementing current medical services. We have also put emphasis on private hospitals, guiding their development in accordance with the requirements proposed by the 20th CPC National Congress and the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We aim to regulate the medical services of private hospitals so that they will become an effective supplement to public hospitals.
Looking forward, we will focus on institutional and mechanism reform and propel more diverse and tiered medical services in line with the decisions and deployments made by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. Journalists might have learned a few days ago that China plans to allow the establishment of wholly foreign-owned hospitals in nine cities and regions. By doing so, the business environment in these nine pilot areas will be improved and local residents will have more options for medical treatment. Thanks to these combined measures, the diversified and multiple medical service needs of residents can be well met and satisfied. Thank you.
Xing Huina:
That's all for today's briefing. Thanks to all the speakers and journalists. Goodbye, everyone.
Translated and edited by Zhang Rui, Wang Wei, Guo Yiming, Zhou Jing, Liu Sitong, Wang Qian, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, Yan Xiaoqing, Ma Yujia, Wang Ziteng, Huang Shan, Lin Liyao, Rochelle Beiersdorfer, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
