Chinese vice premier urges orderly restoration of normal medical services

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Monday urged medical institutions to restore medical services for non-COVID-19 patients while continuing efforts against the coronavirus.

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits Hubei's maternity and child health care hospital in Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei province, March 23, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Leading a central government group to oversee the epidemic control work in central China's Hubei province, Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited two hospitals and a community health service center in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei.

After inspecting medical facilities and visiting front-line medical staff at the hospitals, Sun called for coordinated distribution of medical resources and personnel, as well as triage-based treatment to ensure the safety of non-COVID-19 patients.

Sun stressed fine management and enhanced measures in the orderly restoration of daily medical service of relevant departments, with priority given to special groups of people including pregnant and lying-in women, newborns and the elderly.

Internet-powered healthcare should be encouraged, Sun said, adding that community healthcare service should be gradually restored to divert patients with definitive diagnosis and treatment schemes to primary-level medical institutions near their homes.

Sun also underscored the implementation of community-based family doctor programs, psychological counseling for residents and the integration of public hygiene and national fitness campaigns.