The 2017 National Health and Family Planning conference was held in Beijing from January 5 to 6. Premier Li Keqiang and vice-premier Liu Yandong gave important instructions on China's health and family planning sectors. Li appraised last year's improvements in healthcare reform, public service equalization, the two-child policy and traditional Chinese medicine.

He urged medical staff to further implement the "Healthy China" strategy to deepen public hospital reform, optimize medical insurance payments and push forward a tiered system of medical care service.

"Health departments at all levels should deepen healthcare reform to ensure our people can enjoy more convenient and quality medical service," said the premier. Liu Yandong hoped that medical staff would do their best to boost public health, strengthen disease control, improve family planning, revive traditional Chinese medicine and develop a health industry based on the "Healthy China 2030 Plan".

Li Bin, minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) delivered a working report at the conference, which noted that China's health sector underwent many important events last year. The Chinese government held the National Conference of Health and released “The Healthy China 2030 Plan", issued the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Law and hosted the Global Conference on Health Promotion.

Li said the health and family planning departments at all levels took great efforts to push forward the construction of a "Healthy China" last year. "We smoothly implemented the two-child policy, gradually revitalized traditional Chinese medicine, developed a health industry with fast pace and supported the health sector with professionals and technology," she continued. Li went on to say that in the past year, China closely cooperated with foreign countries regarding the health sector, and healthcare reform achieved significant improvements, with many more people enjoying greater convenience. 

Li also stressed the NHFPC's main tasks in 2017. The top health authorities will further push forward healthcare reform and the construction of a tiered medical care service system; will develop a remote medical cooperative network and increase the coverage of family doctor services; and the NHFPC will fully carry out the reform of public hospitals and eliminate the mechanism that meant drugs were sold at higher prices than at wholesale. It will also streamline the direct reimbursement of hospitalization expenses when a patient accesses medical services in a place other than their resident region.

The NHFPC will further strengthen supervision and form a basic medical and health system as soon as possible in order to reinforce the prevention and control of critical diseases, as well as improve the health emergency response capacity. Finally, Li noted it will fully implement the two-child policy to strengthen the medical service for women giving birth, and implement the TCM Law to promote the development of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Wang Guoqiang, vice-minister of the NHFPC, hosted the conference. Relevant officials from health and family planning departments at all levels also took part.