Growing Healthier
2019-09-02
A moderately prosperous society in all respects covers many aspects of peoples lives and must of course include good health. To this end, the Chinese Government has released several documents such as a blueprint titled Healthy China 2030, which outlines the Healthy China Initiative and the Healthy China Action Plan for 2019-30 ahead of its 2020 target of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. It has also invested funds, technology and human power to raise peoples health standard.
In 2018, Chinas life expectancy rose to 77 years from 74.83 in 2010, higher than the average in some high- and middle-income countries, demonstrating the progress being made in the health area.
However, with the acceleration of industrialization, urbanization and population aging, new challenges have emerged. Diseases, including hepatitis, tuberculosis and endemic diseases, are under control, but cannot be neglected, while the prevention and control of major infectious diseases are still urgent.
A lot of people make unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, heavy drinking and maintaining an unhealthy diet, resulting in serious diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes and respiratory diseases. Moreover, mental illness caused by work pressure, relationship issues or other problems is on the rise.
Hence, it is the governments responsibility to provide support and guidance for people in maintaining their health, which is also part of improving peoples quality of life. The Healthy China Action Plan for 2019-30 details 15 campaigns which include health awareness, a healthy diet, national fitness, tobacco control and mental health, with the perspective of intervening with health influencing factors and prevention and control of major diseases. It also focuses on key groups such as women, children and seniors, and pays great attention to disease control.
The plan not only raises specifi c and detailed tasks for the government, it also offers health advice to the public. Disseminated in a simple and straightforward manner, the Healthy China Initiative will gradually integrate into peoples work and home life.