BEIJING — China will offer a reward of 5 million yuan ($722,240) to each of the model localities for their performance in public hospital reform, starting from 2019, an official with the National Health Commission (NHC) said on June 14.

A total of 21 model localities, including Chaoyang district in Beijing, were praised by the State Council General Office in May and will be financially rewarded, said Zhu Hongbiao, an official with the NHC, at a press conference.

The 21 praised localities have set examples in improving medical services and exploring innovative measures to strengthen hospital management, Zhu said.

They advanced reform with a keen sense of feasibility and provided experiences for deepening the comprehensive reform of public hospitals across the country, the official said.

In the past three years, a total of 99 localities have been praised.