China calls for universal healthcare

GENEVA - Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu said here on Monday that the international community is obliged to collaborate towards common goals to achieve universal coverage of necessary health services and to overcome present difficulties together.

Chen made the remarks at the general discussion of the 65th World Health Assembly, held from May 21-26.

Noting that more than one billion people in the world do not have access to necessary health services, "the world community therefore has a long way to go and an arduous task to accomplish," he said.

Chen called on the international community to explore ways in accordance with their respective national conditions to improve health financing and social security systems, enhance the availability and affordability of medicines, and strengthen solidarity and share the responsibilities.

Chen also briefed about China's health care reform since 2009, saying that the basic medical and health security system now covers 1.295 billion people, more than 95 percent of the total population.

In particular, the basic medical security schemes for rural residents have benefited 97.5 percent of Chinese farmers, or 832 million rural population. The New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) has become the medical security scheme with the largest coverage in the world, Chen said.

Nearly 3,000 delegates from 194 members of the World Health Organization (WHO) attended the annual meeting. Appointment of WHO Director-General, prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, monitoring of the United Nations millenium development goals and WHO are on top of the agenda.