A medical staffer collects swab samples from a citizen in Heilongjiang province's Suifenhe on April 24, 2020. [Photo by Li Guangqing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

National lawmakers have paid great attention to public health and epidemic prevention in motions submitted this year, calling for improved legislation in the sector.

Deputies to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, have submitted 506 motions as of May 26, according to the secretariat of the session.

Of the total, about a quarter deal with providing better legal guarantees for public health, the secretariat said. 

"Some motions focus on boosting the prevention system of infectious diseases, calling for heavier punishments for those who do not report infection information truthfully, those who illegally consume wildlife or disturb epidemic control work," Guo Zhenhua, head of the secretariat's motion team, told media on Tuesday.

"Some also put forward motions on promoting our country's emergency system of public health and improving biosecurity by legislation," he added.

Apart from public health, issues closely related with people's livelihood, the country's governance system and capacity, and ecology and environment are also hot topics in the motions, according to him.

"We'll analyze the motions and submit to the session's presidium for review, and then give feedback to the deputies," he said.

In addition, the secretariat has received about 9,000 suggestions from national legislators, mainly on public health, poverty alleviation, strengthening employment and promoting medical and nursing services.