National Health Commission Explained

Agency Name:National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China
Native Name A:Chinese: 中华人民共和国国家卫生健康委员会
Preceding1:National Health and Family Planning Commission
Jurisdiction:Government of China
Headquarters:Beijing
Minister1 Name:Lei Haichao[1]
Agency Type:Constituent Department of the State Council (cabinet-level executive department)
Parent Agency:State Council

The National Health Commission (NHC) is a cabinet-level executive department of the State Council of the People's Republic of China which is responsible for formulating national health policies.[2] It was formed on 19 March 2018. The ministry is headquartered in Beijing. The commission is led by a Minister of cabinet rank in the state council. Ma Xiaowei is the current Minister in charge of the Commission and Party Branch Secretary. Its predecessor was the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

History

Throughout most of PRC's rule since 1954, the national health portfolio has been the responsibility of the Ministry of Health; superseded in 2013 by the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

In March 2018, the Government of the People's Republic of China announced that the National Health and Family Planning Commission was dissolved and that its functions were integrated into the new agency, the National Health Commission.

China is a member of the World Health Organization.[3] Minister Ma reported in the 92nd World Health Assembly, since 1978, China has been focused on improving primary healthcare, develop universal safety net for residents and improving the quality, efficiency and access to primary health care.

The Commission has a role in providing foreign aid through its coordination of China's overseas medical teams.[4]

2020 coronavirus epidemic

See main article: COVID-19 pandemic in China. The commission is the lead agency in mainland China coordinating the national efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic[5]

On 11 February 2020, in order to manage the ongoing health crisis, the following changes were announced by the NHC :

In December 2022, a week after the NHC said it would no longer release official death tolls from Covid, the NHC said that "China has always been publishing information on Covid-19 deaths and severe cases in the spirit of openness and transparency."[6]

Subordinate agencies

The following agencies directly report to the commission.

Sub-ministry-level executive agencies of the State Council administered by the NHC
Institutions directly under the NHC
Hospitals directly under the NHC

List of ministers

Ministers in charge of the National Health Commission! No. !! Name !! Took office !! Left office !! Notes
1 19 March 2018 Incumbent
Ministers in charge of the National Health and Family Planning Commission! No.!Name!Took office!Left office
1Li Bin16 March 2013March 2018
Ministers of Health!No.!Name!Took office!Left office
1Li DequanNovember 1949January 1965
2Qian XinzhongJanuary 1965June 1968
3Qiu Guoguang (邱国光)June 1968June 1970
4Chen Renhong (陈仁洪)June 1970July 1973
5Liu Xiangping (刘湘屏)July 1973October 1976
vacant
6Jiang Yizhen (江一真)November 1977April 1979
Qian XinzhongApril 1979May 1982
7Cui Yueli (崔月犁)May 1982March 1987
8Chen Minzhang (陈敏章)March 1987March 1998
9Zhang WenkangMarch 1998April 2003
10Wu YiApril 2003April 2005
11Gao QiangApril 2005June 2007
12Chen ZhuJune 200716 March 2013

Notes and References

  1. News: zh:雷海潮已任国家卫健委党组书记 . https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20240506A01YUK00 . 16 May 2024 . qq.com . 6 May 2024 . zh.
  2. News: http://news.ifeng.com/a/20180327/57088956_0.shtml?_zbs_baidu_bk . zh:国家卫生健康委员会正式“挂牌” . ifeng . 2018-03-27 . zh . 2019-02-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190222095226/http://news.ifeng.com/a/20180327/57088956_0.shtml?_zbs_baidu_bk . 2019-02-22 . live .
  3. Web site: China shares experiences in primary health care at 72nd World Health Assembly - Xinhua English.news.cn. www.xinhuanet.com. 2020-01-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20200109145000/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-05/21/c_138075049.htm. 2020-01-09. dead.
  4. Book: Chen, Muyang . The Latecomer's Rise: Policy Banks and the Globalization of China's Development Finance . 2024 . . 9781501775857 . Ithaca and London.
  5. Web site: 'Grave situation' as coronavirus claims another life. www.9news.com.au. 2020-01-26.
  6. Web site: AFP . 2022-12-30 . China insists official Covid-19 data on deaths is transparent . 2023-01-04 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.