National Health Commission Outlines Strategies to Improve Local Healthcare Services
China is implementing a comprehensive strategy to ensure citizens can access quality healthcare locally, officials announced at a State Council Information Office press conference on Monday.
Three-Tier Healthcare Network Achievements
Zhuang Ning, Director of the National Health Commission’s Planning Department, outlined recent progress in building a tiered medical system:
| Initiative | Progress | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| National/Regional Medical Centers | 13 national centers + 125 regional centers established | Reducing need for cross-province specialist care |
| Urban Medical Groups | 81 pilot cities implementing resource sharing | 36.57M referrals in 2024 (+20.6% YoY) |
| County-Level Integration | 2,188 counties with unified medical communities | 190M tests processed through shared diagnostic centers |
2025 Development Priorities
The Commission will focus on three key areas:
Serious Illnesses:
Enhance national/regional medical center operations
Reduce cross-province medical travel
Common Conditions:
Expand urban medical groups to 90% coverage
Implement “distributed examination, centralized diagnosis” model
Primary Care:
Increase basic public health funding to ¥99 per capita
Strengthen rural TCM, pediatric and dental services
Upgrade township health center capabilities
Notable Progress Metrics
- Downward referrals increased 45.7% in 2024
- Upward referrals decreased 3.1%, showing improved local capacity
- County-level resource centers processed 190M tests
“Our goal is systematic, continuous and convenient healthcare for all,” Zhuang emphasized, noting the strategy aligns with China’s healthcare reform objectives to reduce overcrowding at top hospitals while improving local service quality.
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