China ramps up public health literacy with three-year campaign

China's National Health Commission announced a three-year campaign launched this month to significantly improve public health literacy. The initiative, co-organized with the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, aims to empower citizens with essential health knowledge and practices.

A core component of the campaign is a list of 66 key health advisories released by the NHC on May 30. These advisories cover crucial topics such as regular cancer screenings, reducing sugar and salt intake, and developing a proper understanding of mental health conditions.

NHC spokesperson Mi Feng emphasized efforts to increase access to resources that promote health awareness. This includes combating misinformation, while also motivating healthcare workers to actively participate in public health education initiatives.

Li Changning, director of the China Health Education Center, highlighted the progress made in recent years. The national health literacy rate climbed to 29.7 percent in 2023, a significant increase from just 8.8 percent in 2012.