China to clean up grassroots medical institutions

Health authorities have vowed to conduct a thorough clean-up and rectification of grassroots medical institutions in order to ensure quality and safety. The institutions include county-level hospitals, community health centers, infirmaries and clinics, according to a statement released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) on Friday. The campaign will involve screening and double-checking registration, approval and management in grassroots medical institutions, the statement said, adding that related information will be stored in an electronic archive. Substandard institutions will have to suspend services and possibly have their licenses revoked. The campaign will also focus on the regulation of antibiotic and hormone use, as well as the management of key units in grassroots hospitals, such as surgery and dialysis rooms, according to the statement. The NHFPC and State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM) also ordered health departments, as well as TCM regulators at all levels, to improve health care systems and services nationwide. The campaign began on Friday and will last until the end of the year, the statement said.