Imagine needing life-saving treatment but having to travel hours 👵➡️🏥. That was the reality for 64-year-old Hu Detian in Anhui Province on the Chinese mainland—until recently.
Local Lifesavers: Closer & Affordable 🩺
Three years ago, Hu started receiving hemodialysis at his town hospital in Yanzihe, Jinzhai County. This local option cut travel time and extra costs on rent, making his treatment much more affordable.
County-Level Medical Consortia Take Shape 🏥
In 2019, the Chinese mainland launched pilot reforms to build county-level medical and health consortia. The idea? A triage system led by county hospitals, with township and village clinics handling routine care.
In Jinzhai County, resources were pooled into seven upgraded township “sub-centers,” each guided by experts from the county hospital. Expert teams—associate chief physicians and head nurses—rotate through these centers to keep quality high.
Result: County hospital visits dropped by over 10%, while primary-level visits jumped more than 20%. Patients get the right care at the right place—win-win! 🎉
Scaling Up Across the Chinese Mainland 🌍
Today, 2,188 counties and districts are piloting these consortia. Around 80% have resource-sharing hubs, and 90% of township clinics can now treat kids. By 2027, the goal is full coverage—so everyone lives within 15 minutes of a medical facility.
Next-Level Primary Care by 2030 🚀
Since 2009, primary-level medical institutions rose from 882,000 to 1.04 million on the Chinese mainland. In April 2025, 13 ministries issued guidelines to upgrade infrastructure and services at the grassroots.
Telemedicine and smart services will play a major role. For emergency care, Renshou County in Sichuan Province’s southwest is building five specialized centers for chest pain, stroke, trauma, and critical maternal and neonatal care—backed by a ¥196 million investment in MRI, CT, and angiography machines.
What’s the takeaway? 🌟 The Chinese mainland’s push for accessible, tech-enabled healthcare at the grassroots level shows how targeted reforms can transform lives—something that resonates across our rapidly changing region.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
