The 2017 National Health and Family Planning Conference was held in Beijing on Jan 5 and 6. Premier Li Keqiang and Vice-premier Liu Yandong gave important instructions to China's health and family planning sectors. 

Li appraised last year's improvements in health care reform, public service equalization, 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 for medical care services.

"Health departments at all level should deepen health care reform to make sure our people can enjoy more convenient and quality medical service," said the Premier.

Liu Yandong hoped that medical staff could do their best to boost public health, strengthen diseases control, improve family planning work, revive traditional Chinese medicine, and develop the health industry based on the "Healthy China 2030 Plan". 

Li Bin, minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) made a working report at the conference. 

According to her report, China's health sector had many important events last year. The Chinese government held the national conference of health and released "The Healthy China 2030 Plan", issued the TCM Law, and hosted the Global Conference on Health Promotion.

The health and family planning departments at all levels took great efforts to push forward the construction of Healthy China last year, Li said.

"We smoothly implemented the two-child policy, gradually revitalized traditional Chinese medicine, developed the health industry at a fast pace and supported the health sector with professionals and technology," Li said. She continued by saying that in the past year, China had close cooperation in the health sector with foreign countries and healthcare reform has made significant improvements, allowing people to enjoy more convenience. 

Li outlined the NHFPC's main tasks in 2017. The top health authorities will further push forward healthcare reform and the construction of a tiered system of medical care service. It will develop a remote medical cooperative network and increase the coverage of family doctor services.

The NHFPC will fully carry out public hospital reform and completely eliminate the mechanism whereby drugs were sold at higher prices than wholesale. It will implement direct reimbursement of hospitalization expenses when a patient accesses medical services in a place other than their resident region. The NHFPC will strengthen supervision and form basic medical and health systems as soon as possible in order to reinforce the prevention and control of critical diseases as well as improve the emergency health response capacity. It will fully implement the two-child policy to strengthen medical services when pregnant women give birth and carry out 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 in the conference.