China vows to shore up county-level hospitals

China's National Health Commission has rolled out a work plan to improve the comprehensive capabilities of county-level hospitals.

Efforts will be made to encourage the flow of quality medical resources from provincial-level medical facilities to county-level hospitals.

County-level hospitals will also be strengthened in medical services and management, said the work plan for the period from 2021 to 2025.

By 2025, at least 1,000 county-level hospitals will have reached the standards of third-grade hospitals, said the work plan.

Third-grade hospitals rank at the top of China's three-tier hospital grading system. They have the most hospital beds and provide comprehensive medical services.