BEIJING — During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), China had made marked improvements in multiple indicators for disability prevention and rehabilitation, according to a press conference on Aug 24.

The vaccination rate for eligible children under China's national immunization plan was kept above 90 percent during the period in order to prevent disease-induced disabilities, while major endemic diseases were almost fully eradicated at the county level, the China Disabled Persons' Federation, the National Health Commission and the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a joint press conference.

The rates of pre-pregnancy checkups and prenatal screenings were increased to 96.4 percent and 81.1 percent, respectively, helping to reduce disabilities caused by birth defects and developmental disorders, the conference said.

Compared to 2016, the number of workplace accidents in China declined by 39.8 percent in 2020, with related deaths down by 36.3 percent, along with a substantial decrease in traffic accidents, according to the press conference.

The coverage of basic rehabilitation services for the disabled exceeded 80 percent during the period.

Ahead of this year's National Disability Prevention Day, which falls on Aug 25, the press conference also unveiled the schedule for this year's events, which will focus on publicizing essential knowledge on disability prevention.