Development
Drug manufacturing in a "clean room" by Floyd Holdman.
After the founding of New China in 1949 the Chinese government put the emphasis of medical work on the rural health services, disease prevention and health care and giving a boast to traditional Chinese medicine. Great efforts were devoted to setting up medical and public health institutions. A nationwide public health network has now been basically formed and an adequate contingent of medical personnel has been established. China's medical education system is complete, and a large group of medical experts has been trained. By the end of 1999, there were 310,000 public health institutions (including clinics) with 3.16 million beds, of which 2.93 million beds were in hospitals and clinics. There were 4.46 million medical personnel, including 2.05 million doctors and 1.25 million nurses. The public health institutions, hospital and clinic beds and medical personnel increased by 83 percent, 58 percent and 81 percent, respectively, compared with those in 1978.
The technical level of public health has improved greatly, and the management and supervision of medical work have been strengthened. An urban and rural medical insurance system combining state planning and fee paying has been established. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have been promoted simultaneously. The incidence of many epidemic diseases has dropped considerably, and some endemic diseases are now under control. Rural health work has been improved, greatly contributing to the overall health of the population. The average life expectancy of Chinese people, the death rate of infants and childbirth death rates have almost reached the levels of developed countries.
Development of Medical and Health Institutions, Hospital beds and
Medical and Health Personnel Year
1949
1978
1985
1990
1998
Medical & health institutions
3,670
169,732
200,866
208,734
310,000
Hospital beds (1,000)
85
2,042
2,487
2,925
3,140
Medical & health personnel (1,000)
505
2,464
3,411
3,898
4,420
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