Zhejiang accelerates universal healthcare

According to the provincial Department of Health, altogether 29.655 million farmers have signed up for the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme presently, reaching 92% of the total number of farmers. The average percentage of reimbursed hospitalization expenses hits 41.6%, with a year-on-year growth rate of 5.1%. Moreover, 18.46 million urban residents have joined the Basic Medical Insurance System for Staff Members and Workers in Cities and Towns and he Basic Medical Insurance System for Urban Residents in Cities and Towns in the province. The basic healthcare insurance has covered the entire province, thus tremendously reducing the burden of medical fees for urban and rural residents.

Statistics show that there are 2,006 township and community health service centers (township hospitals), 5,128 community health service clinics and 13,405 village clinics in the province. Community health institutions are within a 20-minute walking distance for most of the urban and rural residents. Among 90 counties (cities and districts), 70 counties (cities and districts) have determined the nature of work and worked out the personnel allocation scheme in township and community health service centers (township hospitals), so community doctors are able to keep their mind more on attending to patients at the grassroots levels.