China boosts vaccination accessibility at grassroots

WUHAN -- Every township and subdistrict across China now has at least one vaccination unit, bringing immunization services closer to people's doorsteps, according to the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference held Saturday in Wuhan, capital city of Central China's Hubei province.

Over 10 million people have already applied for and are using digital vaccination certificates, which provide lifelong coverage for individuals, according to the conference.

China has established a comprehensive four-tier immunization program management system at the national, provincial, municipal, and county levels, as well as a service network extending to the county, township, and village levels, Shen Hongbing, deputy head of the National Health Commission and head of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said at the conference. This ensures timely and convenient access to vaccination for the public, he added.

By the end of 2024, China had more than 456,000 professionals engaged in vaccination services, Shen noted.

Official data presented at the conference showed that the coverage rate for vaccines under the national immunization program has remained above 90 percent. Incidence rates of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, hepatitis A, and Japanese encephalitis have dropped to historic lows.

In recent years, China has allocated over 3 billion yuan (about $416 million) annually to support the expansion of the immunization program, ensuring vaccine supply and safety, according to the conference.