Resources needed for rural health

2030 target given for 'marked improvement' in countryside services

Chinese authorities laid out a roadmap for improving the health of the nation's rural residents in a policy document released recently.

The document, jointly released by the National Health Commission and 13 other government departments, said that comprehensive measures will be taken, ranging from upgrading infrastructure and cultivating healthcare professionals in rural areas, to ramping up healthcare services and boosting health awareness among rural residents.

The goal is to achieve "marked improvements" in healthcare service capabilities and ensure convenient and affordable access to medical services in rural areas by 2030. In the meantime, major health threats and risk factors, such as cancer and heart disease, and negative lifestyles involving smoking or heavy alcohol use, should be reined in by then.