Xi leads efforts toward building Healthy China

Healthcare for all

Over the years, Xi has visited grassroots medical institutions and households in rural areas across the country, offering targeted guidance tailored to local conditions.

He has focused on preventing people from falling into or returning to poverty because of illness, using remote consultations to help balance medical resources, and addressing healthcare-related issues in rural areas.

Xi has paid close attention to the issues people face in accessing healthcare at the grassroots level and set out clear directions, from establishing five basic systems — tiered diagnosis and treatment, modern hospital management, universal medical insurance, drug supply security, and comprehensive oversight — to developing the healthcare workforce and digital infrastructure for smart healthcare.

"We must unswervingly uphold the public welfare nature of the medical and healthcare sector, and not take the path of wholesale marketization and commercialization," Xi said.

He has also called for further deepening the reform of medical and healthcare systems and exploring Chinese solutions to the worldwide challenge of healthcare reform.

Coordinated development and governance of healthcare services, medical insurance and pharmaceuticals have helped reduce out-of-pocket payments to 27.1 percent of total health expenditure.

The vision of ensuring that serious illnesses can be treated within one's province, common illnesses within one's city or county, and everyday ailments at the grassroots level is increasingly becoming a reality.

China has supported the development of 125 national regional medical centers so far, with 75 percent of their hospitals located in central and western regions and other areas where high-quality medical resources are relatively scarce.

More than 90 percent of residents can access nearby medical and healthcare services within 15 minutes. Primary-level medical institutions account for more than 50 percent of all medical visits nationwide.