China will step up efforts and increase investment in disability prevention and rehabilitation services as part of broader efforts to promote high-quality population development, according to a newly released five-year action plan (2026-30).
The plan sets targets for improving the national disability prevention and early intervention system and raising public awareness on disability-related issues by 2030. Increasing the prenatal screening rate to more than 90 percent and ensuring that more than 90 percent of people with disabilities have access to basic rehabilitation services by 2030 form part of its goals.
In line with the plan, China will continue to promote knowledge about disability prevention and strengthen the professional knowledge and skills of medical workers, therapists, nursing care providers, firefighters and social workers.
Public education programs and training sessions on birth defects, developmental disorders, injury prevention and rehabilitation will target key groups, including newlyweds, parents of newborns, teenagers, senior citizens and people working in high-risk occupations.
The plan also calls for the continued reduction of birth defects and developmental disorders by improving premarital and prenatal health examinations and expanding newborn screening for inherited metabolic diseases and hearing impairment. The measures are aimed at reducing the risk of disabilities among newborns and easing the financial and emotional burdens on their families.
In addition, the government will strengthen the prevention and control of chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, while improving the public psychological services and crisis intervention system, with a closer focus on children, teenagers and senior citizens.
The action plan also outlines measures to reduce disability risks associated with infectious and endemic diseases, occupational illnesses, emergencies and natural disasters, while emphasizing the importance of improving rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.
It calls for the application of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data and brain-computer interfaces, in disability diagnosis, rehabilitation and the development of smart assistive devices. Relevant standards for such devices and services will also be established.
Zheng Xiaoying, a professor at the School of Population Medicine and Public Health of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said the plan covers disability prevention throughout the entire life cycle, from premarital health examinations and child development management to chronic disease prevention and control, as well as elderly care.
"This will help make disability prevention more systematic," she said.
Zheng added that the plan emphasizes not only measures to reduce disability risks but also early intervention and sustained rehabilitation to prevent the loss of basic physical and functional abilities, thereby better safeguarding public health and promoting high-quality population development.
Wu Jing, a senior official at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said chronic diseases have become the leading cause of disability.
"About 56 percent of adults with disabilities in China have acquired their disabilities as a result of chronic diseases. As the population aged 60 and above continues to grow, and more than 78 percent of senior citizens suffer from at least one chronic disease, disability caused by chronic illnesses has become a major public health concern, affecting life expectancy and increasing the burden on families and society," Wu said.
Despite progress, challenges remain, including limited public awareness of the importance of chronic disease management and uneven distribution of rehabilitation resources across regions.
To address these issues, the action plan calls for integrating disability prevention into the entire process of chronic disease diagnosis and treatment, helping reduce the risk of disability associated with such conditions.
China released its first five-year action plan on disability prevention in 2016. Over the past five years, the country has made progress in the field, with the prenatal screening rate exceeding 90 percent and screening rates for inherited metabolic diseases and hearing impairment among newborns surpassing 95 percent. During that period, about 34.46 million people with disabilities received basic rehabilitation services.
