China has intensified its COVID-19 prevention and control measures in rural areas, with the State Council recently releasing two work plans aimed at improving medical care security and strengthening infection control. The plans, titled “Work Plan for Improving COVID-19 Medical Care Security Capacity in Rural Areas by Relying on County Medical Community” and “Work Plan for Strengthening the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 Infection in Rural Areas,” outline comprehensive strategies to enhance rural healthcare systems.
Key Measures and Objectives
The plans emphasize the establishment of a broad medical triage service system at the county, village, and community levels, led by the national medical community. The government will conduct overall planning for urban and rural medical resources, improve support mechanisms for Class 2 and above comprehensive hospitals in urban areas and county-level hospitals, and ensure smooth referral mechanisms at the city and county levels.
The plans also require improving the grassroots COVID-19 prevention and control system and securing the supply of medical materials in rural areas. Key measures include enhancing medical and health services, strengthening support, ensuring the storage and supply of medical materials, conducting propaganda and education, protecting key groups, accelerating the production of epidemic prevention drugs, stabilizing the drug market order, and implementing first diagnosis at the grassroots level and home treatment.
Focus on Critical Care Infrastructure
Both plans highlight the importance of strengthening medical resource infrastructure for severe cases and infectious diseases, particularly in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). County-level hospitals, especially those classified as Class 3, are required to accelerate the construction and upgrading of comprehensive ICU care units. These units must ensure that the number of ICU beds for treating critical COVID-19 patients is not less than 4% of the total number of beds in the hospital, with each ICU ready for immediate use. Class 2 hospitals should establish independent intensive care departments, build and transform ICUs according to comprehensive standards, and ensure their readiness for use at any time. The plans also call for the training of medical personnel in critical care, providing comprehensive ICU professional technical training for staff in specialized ICUs, internal medicine, pediatrics, and emergency departments, and establishing mixed organizational work modes.
Enhancing Grassroots Medical Capacity
The plans also emphasize the need to enhance the construction of buffer wards and infectious diseases departments, set up fever clinics in township hospitals, and train grassroots medical personnel. Efforts will be made to strengthen the medical service capacity of village clinics and promote information sharing between county medical communities and designated hospitals, sub-designated hospitals, and urban counterpart-assistance hospitals.
Future Outlook
The implementation of these plans underscores China’s commitment to strengthening its rural healthcare infrastructure and improving the capacity to respond to COVID-19. By enhancing medical triage systems, securing the supply of medical materials, and upgrading critical care infrastructure, the government aims to ensure better health outcomes for rural populations. These measures are expected to play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and strengthening overall public health resilience.-Fineline Info & Tech
