Huimin transforms rural healthcare with unified pharmacy system

In Wangpan village, Huimin county, Shandong province, 56-year-old Zhang Baofang no longer dreads the hours-long trips to distant hospitals for his lung and hypertension medications. Thanks to Huimin's groundbreaking countywide pharmacy network, affordable treatments are now available at his local clinic, part of a sweeping reform tackling rural healthcare gaps.

For years, villages like Wangpan grappled with scarce medications, erratic supplies, and fragmented care. The solution for Huimin was to use a unified ''pharmacy service network'' that links three county hospitals, 15 township clinics, and 236 village health centers under one system. Standardizing procurement, storage, and delivery has allowed the service network to expand rural drug inventories, slash costs, and ensure 99.93 percent of medications reach clinics within three days. Village clinics now stock over 150 drugs (previously 80), while township facilities offer more than 290 (previously 170), including specialized medications for chronic diseases like thyroid cancer.

The reforms have boosted local treatment rates, with nearly 90 percent of patients now receiving care within the county—up from 60 percent. A centralized prescription review center, staffed by 31 pharmacists, has screened over 1.1 million prescriptions in 2024, reducing errors by eight percent. Emergency reserves of 51 critical drugs (156,000 doses) guarantee three-month buffers, while a shortage-alert system and redistribution of near-expiry medications have cut monthly drug waste by 70 percent.

For Chen Fangxia, who once traveled 40 kilometers for thyroid medication, the changes are transformative. ''Now, my township clinic handles everything,'' she said. The system also introduced chronic disease windows for personalized orders and mobilized pharmacists for doorstep consultations.

By merging smart logistics with patient-focused care, Huimin's model offers a blueprint for rural healthcare revival, proving equitable access is possible beyond cities. (Edited by Li Qiaoxingzi)