Efforts to Promote High-quality Development in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control

The 2023 China Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Conference was held in Beijing on October 21–22, 2023, jointly organized by the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Center, the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, and the National Center for Respiratory Medicine. The conference had the theme of “New Era, New Journey, Efforts to Promote High-Quality Development in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control”. It covered academic reports in seven aspects, including domestic and international progress in chronic disease policies, chronic disease prevention and control practices, the construction of national comprehensive chronic disease prevention and control demonstration areas, the progress of the “Healthy China” special action, the disease burden and health promotion of chronic diseases, clinical prevention of chronic diseases and grassroots health management, and digital empowerment and technological innovation in chronic diseases. The conference was attended by over 1,500 participants, including officials from the Ministry of Education, the National Bureau for Disease Control and Prevention, relevant departments and bureaus within the National Health Commission (NHC), WHO representatives in China, academicians, expert scholars, local government officials, medical and healthcare institutions, universities, research institutions, and relevant social organizations.

Conference data showed that China has made remarkable progress in chronic disease prevention and control, with the premature mortality rate of major chronic diseases decreasing from 18.5% in 2015 to 15.2% in 2022. The trend in the mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases fluctuated downward, and the overall trend in the mortality rate of malignant tumors decreased. The standardized mortality rate of chronic respiratory diseases also significantly decreased, while the standardized mortality rate of diabetes showed an initial increase followed by a decrease. Martin Taylor, WHO Representative in China, stated at the conference, “China has made significant progress in improving life expectancy. It has expanded the coverage of the national basic public health service program to include chronic non-communicable diseases, which is a significant step towards achieving the goals outlined in the ‘Healthy China 2030’ plan. I congratulate you on these remarkable achievements.”

In terms of chronic disease prevention and control, China has established comprehensive chronic disease prevention and control demonstration areas that gradually benefit grassroots communities. Additionally, the country has implemented effective measures such as early screening, early diagnosis, and early treatment, as well as the control of risk factors associated with chronic diseases, effectively improving prevention and control outcomes. Lei Haichao, Deputy Director of the NHC, stated, “After years of effort, China has established 488 national comprehensive chronic disease prevention and control pilot areas, covering 31 provinces and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, with a coverage rate exceeding 17%.” The conference also revealed that a total of 2,880 counties have carried out nationwide health lifestyle initiatives, with a coverage rate of 97.3%. Citizen health literacy has increased from 8.8% in 2012 to 27.8% in 2022.

However, China still faces significant challenges in chronic disease prevention and control. As life expectancy continues to rise and the population ages, chronic disease prevention and control has become an important mission in the construction of a healthy China. Shen Hongbing, Deputy Director of the National Bureau for Disease Control and Prevention and Director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said, “China has achieved significant results in the prevention and control of chronic diseases, but the disease burden remains heavy, with high incidence and prevalence rates. It is essential to address the fundamental factor of an aging population.” Experts at the conference recommended that the next steps should focus on lifestyle interventions and risk factor control as a priority area in chronic disease prevention and control, aligning with the goals of the Healthy China initiative, identifying gaps in prevention and control targets, emphasizing key areas such as obesity, smoking, hypertension, and increasing efforts and investments through various channels to ensure the effectiveness of chronic disease prevention and control.