CPPCC member proposes better pay, benefits for village doctors
- By Cui Can
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 9, 2022
A political advisor suggested increasing wages and benefits for medical workers in rural areas, as well as offering them additional training, as part of efforts to provide rural residents with better services.
Tang Jianren, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), spoke about the important role village doctors play in the course of poverty relief by providing basic medical care and health services in rural areas.
"Village doctors are viewed as health guardians in towns and villages, working on the front lines of China's anti-poverty campaign," Tang said, explaining how they often travel to the homes of patients, especially those living in remote mountainous regions and under the poverty line.
Tang mentioned that China still has a shortage of doctors in rural areas, which is compounded by an increasing reluctance among medical workers to remain in their jobs due to such issues as low pay and poor career prospects.
He also pointed out that as rural residents' livelihoods improved, it is natural for them to expect better medical services.
However, township hospitals are in dire need of qualified doctors. Statistics from the National Health Commission show that by the end of 2020, there was a total of 792,000 village doctors and medical workers in China's rural areas. Meanwhile, of the approximately 11 million medical professionals across the country, more than half do not have even a bachelor's degree in medicine.
Tang said more attention should be given to village doctors if China wants to ensure quality medical services in rural areas.
In his proposal, Tang stated that health authorities should allocate more funds for training medical staff in village clinics and increasing their pay. He also suggested exploring ways to nurture more rural doctors through vocational education, and encouraging cooperation between city hospitals and rural clinics with the aid of internet-based technology.
In addition, many village doctors in China are not qualified to take the country's national doctor qualification test. Without the necessary license, these medical practitioners lack official recognition, which leaves them susceptible to medical disputes. Most are also not covered by the social insurance system like their urban counterparts.
Tang suggested that more preferential policies should also be rolled out to improve the evaluation and promotion system for village doctors, thereby improving their career prospects, along with higher pay and pensions.
"I hope that in the future more medical graduates choose to work in rural areas, and village doctors can live better lives," he said. "Only by doing so can we provide rural residents with quality medical care and health services."
