BEIJING — China will step up efforts to make sure its entire impoverished population is covered by basic health insurance, critical illness insurance and medical assistance system.

At a nationwide teleconference on poverty alleviation through improving healthcare on July 11, central authorities stressed the need to guarantee basic medical care for people in poverty-stricken areas.

According to the conference, the set standards should be upheld in building up the capacity of hospitals and healthcare institutions at the primary level. It also underlined the importance of disease prevention for poor populations.