The number of rural doctors has declined significantly?National Health and Health Commission response

On July 14, the National Health and Health Commission held the tenth session of the "All for the Health of the People's — Our Ten Years" series to introduce the progress of the primary medical and health service work since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Regarding the decrease in the number of rural doctors, Nie Chunlei, chief of the General Department of the National Department of Health and Health, said that the National Health Commission has worked hard to transform rural doctors into practicing physicians or practicing assistants. The year of 1.25 rose to 1.3 in 2021, and the number of village doctors per capita increased.

↑ Nie Chunlei, Chief of the National Department of Health and Health

Nie Chunlei first explained two concepts of rural doctors and village doctors. Most people think that rural doctors are village doctors, and village doctors are rural doctors. In fact, the two concepts are different. Rural doctors are a specific concept, which are clearly proposed by the "Physician Law" and the "Regulations on the Management Management of Rural Doctors". There are only rural doctors certificates. "Village doctors are a special crowd. From the perspective of history, they have gradually evolved from the past barefoot doctors. They provide services to the people."

However, there are rural doctors, but also some practicing doctors and practicing doctors in the village. Nie Chunlei said that many times, the two concepts will be mixed, which is actually different. Statistics, rural doctors are strictly referring to doctors working in villages who do not have practicing physicians or practicing assistant physicians.

Nie Chunlei pointed out that the direction of the State Health and Health Commission is to transform rural doctors into practicing doctors or practicing assistants, so the number of rural doctors is now decreased, but the number of village doctors working in rural toilets is reduced. Not much. From 2012 to 2021, village doctors working in village clinics nationwide fell from 1.255 million to 1.147 million. Because the population in the countryside is reduced, the reduction of doctors in service is reasonable.

In fact, the number of villages per 1,000 rural residents rose from 1.25 in 2012 to 1.3 in 2021, and the number of villages per capita was increased. The number of rural doctors declined significantly, from 1.02 million in 2012 to 670,000 in 2021. However, in the village doctor team, the number of practitioners and assistant physicians in the village doctor rose from 233,000 to 476,000. "This shows that rural doctors are declining, but the total number of practicing physicians and practicing assistants who serve the people in the village is actually increasing. The total number has not actually decreased. The quality and ability of the village clinics to provide medical service staff has significantly improved."

Nie Chunlei further stated that it is necessary to create a good policy environment for the development of the village doctors. In particular, it is necessary to implement the responsibility of local subjects and classify the problems of village medical treatment and pension guarantee. The National Health and Health Commission will further guide the transformation of rural doctors to practicing physicians and practicing assistants, enhance the overall service capacity level of the rural medical service system, lay a solid foundation for comprehensively promoting the construction of healthy China, realizing rural revitalization, and laying a solid foundation.

Red Star reporter Hu Yiwen Wuyang Beijing Beijing report

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