Tsinghua-led commission launches report
A Lancet Commission chaired by Margaret Chan, Dean of the Vanke School of Public Health and WHO Director-General Emeritus, launched its report at Tsinghua University on October 29, setting out four years of analysis of China's health poverty alleviation policies, how they were implemented and their wider implications for global health, according to the Lancet Commission report. The commission was led by Tsinghua University. The report examines how China combined financial protection and primary healthcare with interventions in safe drinking water, housing, nutrition and education.
1.4 trillion yuan from 2015 to 2020
Around 1.4 trillion yuan was invested in health-related poverty alleviation between 2015 and 2020, the report found. A national monitoring system tracks more than 80 million low-income rural residents to identify risks of health-related poverty. The share of inpatient expenses paid out of pocket by people living in poverty declined from 41.0% in 2013 to 31.0% in 2018.
Further research needed
The report said that because several policies were implemented at the same time and data was limited, further research is needed to assess the contributions of individual measures.
Speakers at the launch
The launch drew 130 participants from government, international organizations, universities, research institutes and healthcare institutions. Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet, discussed links between health and social determinants including nutrition, water, housing and education. Chen Zhu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, called for appropriate technologies to reach primary care settings and for closer coordination across prevention, screening, treatment and long-term health management. In her closing remarks, Chan said health equity means everyone is recognized and respected and has access to the services they need, and described the launch as a starting point for further research, policy dialogue and international cooperation.
