BEIJING — China has witnessed major improvement in the medical condition of impoverished counties, with more than 400 hospitals in these areas being upgraded to higher levels, said a senior official with the National Health Commission (NHC) on Feb 13.

Over 30 hospitals in these counties can now provide medical services comparable to that of top hospitals in the country, said Jiao Yahui, deputy director of the Medical Administration Bureau under the NHC, at a press conference.

“Patients in all of the most poverty-stricken counties can now get access to medical services on telemedicine platforms at their local hospitals,” Jiao said.

The official attributed the progress to help from the country’s best hospitals over the past years.

Since 2016, 963 top hospitals have paired with 1,180 hospitals in 834 impoverished counties to offer targeted assistance, enabling them to provide better medical service to local residents, the NHC figures show.

As of 2018, more than 60,000 medical workers from top hospitals have been dispatched to hospitals in impoverished regions to assist them in hospital management and medical treatment.

“Poverty alleviation work in the medical sector is now at a crucial stage,” said Jiao, adding that the NHC would further improve the medical condition in these areas and let telemedicine play a greater role.