Challenges on way to better public health

There has been widespread interest in China's health sector among economists around the world. Much of this interest is found in public health communities at universities, and a large literature of scholarly work has emerged. These economists are largely interested in access and delivery of medical care and public health infrastructure. A smaller group of economists focuses on the role of health services in macroeconomic structural adjustment.

The two groups are largely separate and a more complete picture of economic planning emerges by integrating their perspectives.

China's health sector has evolved erratically since 1949. Initially, its infrastructure was rudimentary with emphasis on public health. Rural reform was an early priority, with efforts to increase the numbers of hospital beds, doctors and antibiotics. The use of "barefoot doctors" was cultivated in the years before 1978 and received widespread international recognition.