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Vice premier: Deepened health care reform vital

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-25 09:20

Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called for deepened health care reform, including changes in the management of public hospitals.

Deepening medical reform is highly necessary as medical services are not satisfactory at present, with rising public complaints about the difficulty and costliness of seeing doctors, Li told a panel of more than 30 experts, who convened to discuss ongoing health care reforms that were initiated two years ago.

The reforms are also related to the nation's health and lasting development, said Li, head of the State Council's special working team of medical reform.

"The crux of the problem lies in public hospital reform," he said, adding that the reform of county hospitals should be promoted and that the training of general practitioners should be strengthened in order to boost the level of service at rural medical facilities.

The management of medical services and drugs should be separated and hospital staff morale should improved, he said, adding that the non-profit nature of public hospitals should be adhered to.

Li called on government bodies, academics and citizens to join in efforts to establish a basic medical health system that will cover all of the country's urban and rural areas by 2020.