Vice-Premier Liu Yandong on Nov 6 urged further health care reform during her inspection trip to Hangzhou in Zhejiang province.

After talking with doctors, patients and local officials, Liu said the province should continue to eliminate barriers to reform to facilitate a sound health care system.

“Now that reform has moved into a key stage, we should enhance research at the grassroots level and reinforce policy implementation to help improve people’s health conditions,” Liu said.

In particular, the vice-premier urged upgrading different levels of the health care system to make sure that rural citizens can also enjoy quality medical care.

She also asked to transform public hospitals’ internal management, monitor medicine prices and spread out insurance for catastrophic illness.