Over 90% of residents in the Chinese mainland can now reach a medical service point within 15 minutes, National Health Commission (NHC) head Lei Haichao announced at a March 7 press conference during the 14th National People's Congress session. This achievement marks a transformative leap in healthcare accessibility, fulfilling a key objective of the Healthy China 2030 Initiative launched a decade ago.
The milestone reflects sustained efforts to build over 12,000 new community health centers since 2016, particularly in rural and underserved regions. Lei emphasized that "equitable access remains our compass," noting a 40% reduction in urban-rural healthcare disparities since the initiative began.
Analysts link this progress to the CPC Central Committee and State Council's 2016 blueprint, which prioritized tiered diagnosis systems and digital health innovations. Recent expansions in AI-assisted telemedicine now enable 280 million residents in remote areas to consult specialists via mobile platforms.
With healthcare spending reaching 7.2% of GDP in 2026, authorities aim to achieve universal 15-minute coverage by 2030. The NHC plans to deploy 50,000 mobile clinics this year, targeting mountainous regions and aging urban communities.
