China News Agency, Beijing, December 30th. Question: From cities to rural areas, how can China strengthen the medical system to deal with the new situation of the epidemic?

　　China News Agency reporter Li Chun

　　"Putting critical care, ensuring daily medical and health needs, and preventing medical resources from running out are more important, and putting prevention and treatment capacity building in rural areas in a more prominent position." At a recent press conference held by the Chinese government , Liang Wannian, head of the expert group of the National Health Commission's Epidemic Response and Disposal Leading Group, pointed out.

　　At present, the epidemic of new coronavirus infection in China is developing rapidly. How to strengthen the medical system to cope with the new situation and new challenges of the epidemic?

The analysis of experts has given two directions: reduce the pressure on medical institutions to treat and improve the prevention and control capabilities in rural areas.

　　After the introduction of further optimization measures of the "New Ten Articles", all medical institutions have undertaken the task of receiving patients infected with the new coronavirus.

With the development of the epidemic situation, the scale of positive patients is continuously expanding, and the work pressure of medical institutions is increasing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

　　"There are a lot of patients, and the degree of criticality is higher than usual." Zhu Huadong, director of the emergency department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said in an interview that in the past, the proportion of first-, second-, and third-level patients was about 50%.

"In the past few days, the proportion of first-, second-, and third-level emergency patients we have monitored has accounted for 75%, or even 80%."

　　Many medical staff are also sick and stick to the front line of treatment.

"This period of battle is very difficult, and the current situation is indeed true, because medical staff are also involved in this epidemic." Zhang Xinyan, director of the emergency medicine department of Beijing Haidian Hospital, said.

　　"For cities that are currently at the peak of the epidemic, there has been a structural contradiction between supply and demand of medical resources." Jiao Yahui, director of the Department of Medical Affairs of the National Health Commission, pointed out in an interview with the media on the 29th that all regions should expand the supply of medical services and expand medical resources as much as possible.

"Now there are more than 16,000 fever clinics and more than 41,000 fever clinics in hospitals above the second level."

　　At the same time, China is working hard to improve its ability to treat severe cases.

Taking Beijing as an example, according to media reports, the Xuanwu Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University has expanded its capacity to treat critically ill patients in the emergency department, turning more than 20 ordinary beds into sub-severely ill beds to treat critically ill patients.

Beijing Tiantan Hospital has also increased its intensive medical reserve, and the number of beds available to treat critically ill patients has doubled compared with before.

　　Chen Kun, director of the Emergency Medical Rescue Center in Chaoyang District, Beijing, also said to a reporter from China News Agency who visited on the 29th that the center has added 20 seats to the original 8 reception and dispatch seats, and the number of emergency vehicles has increased to 316. , which can guarantee the normal operation of 104 train groups per day.

　　Another direction to strengthen the medical system is in rural areas.

On the 24th, the national video conference on the prevention and control of the new crown epidemic in rural areas pointed out that China's rural areas have a large area, a large population, and a weak foundation. They are key areas and weak areas for epidemic prevention and control.

The epidemic situation in rural areas will enter a new stage of "turning from the peak to the next", and will face new challenges such as the large flow of people at the end of the year and the beginning of the year.

　　When the peak of the epidemic overlaps with the peak of returning home, strengthening medical treatment and drug security in rural areas has become another focus of epidemic prevention and control in the new stage.

　　To do a good job in the prevention and control of rural epidemics, two measures are the most critical.

First, medicines can be purchased and delivered to the final terminal, and county, township, and village medical and health institutions are fully equipped to supply the required medicines.

The second is the transfer of severe cases. After severe cases are found in rural areas, they can be transferred to medical institutions with treatment capabilities in a timely manner.

　　Previously, the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council issued a work plan on December 16, requiring rural medical and health institutions and pharmacies to strengthen the storage of traditional Chinese medicine, antipyretic and cough and other symptomatic medicines and antigen detection kits, and township health centers and village clinics. 15% to 20% of the serving population is dynamically reserved, and it can be increased as appropriate in densely populated areas.

　　In terms of referral, Jiao Yahui also stated at the official press conference on the 27th that in the province, urban hospitals above the second level and county hospitals will establish a pairing relationship and carry out sub-regional medical treatment.

In the event of a situation that requires severe treatment, a two-level referral mechanism between the city and the county should be used.

　　In this context, local governments are also taking active actions.

On the 26th, the video conference on the prevention and control of the new crown epidemic in rural areas of Heilongjiang Province mentioned that a plan for the prevention and control of the rural epidemic during the Spring Festival should be formulated in advance and go all out to deal with the peak of the epidemic in rural areas.

On the 27th, Sun Shaocheng, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was in Hohhot to investigate the prevention and control of rural epidemics. He walked into many township health centers and village clinics, "just to see the actual situation."

　　Right now, the focus of China's epidemic prevention and control work has shifted to medical treatment, "protecting health and preventing severe illness".

By "expanding resources" to ease the pressure on medical treatment, and by "first move" to enhance rural prevention and control capabilities, China is strengthening its medical system along these two directions to cope with the new situation and new challenges of the current epidemic.

(use up)