Too much reliance on hospitals, says WHO
Print Edition
CHINA’S healthcare system is overly reliant on large, over-burdened hospitals, which will struggle to cope with a spike in diseases linked to the aging population, according to the World Health Organization.
Even for minor ailments, Chinese patients often shun family doctors or general practitioners in favor of big city general hospitals, a trend that often creates snarling queues and fierce competition for treatment.
“As China’s health challenges continue to mount, with an aging population, so too will the demands on the country’s health system, along with the costs,” WHO’s China representative Bernhard Schwartlander said in a commentary, pointing to rising rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
“It is simply not sustainable to meet these challenges in a health system that relies on hospitals.”
China has been trying to overhaul its healthcare system, including promoting local, grassroots medical facilities and pledging to raise the number — and quality — of local GPs.
However, low doctor salaries and a lack of trust by patients has slowed progress.
The WHO pointed to long queues, difficult booking systems and tight consultation slots that often last just a few minutes.
“(It is) a symptom of the enormous patient load and pressure which doctors in China face every day,” it said.
“But this is not how things should be in a well-functioning health system.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
