BEIJING—The National Health Commission (NHC) of China has published the “China’s Healthcare Statistical Communique 2023,” highlighting significant strides in public health outcomes and healthcare resource allocation. In 2023, the life expectancy of Chinese residents reached a historic high of 78.6 years, while both the maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate dropped to record lows at 15.1 per 100,000 and 4.5 per thousand, respectively.
The nation’s total healthcare expenditure for 2023 was preliminarily calculated at RMB 9057.58 billion, with government expenditure contributing RMB 2414.79 billion (26.7%), social healthcare expenditure at RMB 4167.68 billion (46.0%), and personal expenditure at RMB 2475.11 billion (27.3%). The per capita expenditure on healthcare was RMB 6425.3, and the healthcare sector’s contribution to the GDP was 7.2%.
By year-end 2023, China’s medical and health institutions numbered 1,070,785, a 37,867 increase from the previous year. The health workforce saw a 5.7% growth, reaching 15.237 million personnel, an addition of 827,000 from the prior year. The total number of medical services provided in China reached 9.55 billion, marking a 1.13 billion (13.5%) increase from the previous year. Hospitalizations across the country totaled 301.873 million, a rise of 55.011 million (22.3%) from the year before.
The average outpatient cost per visit in hospitals was RMB 361.6 in 2023, up by 5.5% in current prices and 5.3% in comparable prices from the previous year. Conversely, the average cost per hospitalization visit was RMB 10,315.8, reflecting a 5.0% decrease in current prices and 5.2% in comparable prices year-over-year. The proportion of outpatient drug costs within the average outpatient cost per visit was 36.9%, down from 38.0% the previous year. Similarly, the share of drug costs within the average hospitalization cost per visit was 22.9%, reduced from 24.3% a year earlier.- Flcube.com
