Premier Li stresses persistent efforts in medical reforms

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for persistent efforts to enhance healthcare, medical insurance, and pharmaceutical reforms to ease the difficulties in receiving medical services and alleviate the financial burden on patients.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a written instruction to a national teleconference on medical reforms which is held Monday in Beijing.

Li urged reforms that lower the cost of overpriced drugs, deepen public hospital reform, improve the basic medical insurance system and the multi-tiered diagnosis and treatment system, and develop medical and healthcare services via the internet.

Li said the reforms have already achieved some important results and a large number of medical workers have made great contributions to promote the reforms and protect people's health.

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan attended and addressed the teleconference.

Sun, also head of the State Council's health reform leading group, echoed Li's instruction and asked for more efforts to tackle key problems in the reforms to better benefit the people, inspire medical workers to perform their duties better, and ensure sustainable inputs for the medical system.

Sun also stressed the need to strengthen supervision and regulation over medical work, enhance drug quality control, and support private hospitals.