China has for the first time set a goal for hospital beds per 1,000 citizens, a key indicator measuring a country's medical service level.
According to a healthcare service plan (2015-2020) published by China's cabinet on Monday, the country will aim to provide six hospital beds per 1,000 of its citizens by 2020. This compares to 4.55 in 2013.
The goal has taken into account several factors, including an aging population and the level of members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Pledging more support for hospitals funded by private and foreign investment, the plan said the ratio of hospital beds available in private and foreign hospitals should be no fewer than 1.5 by 2020. Foreign ownership of hospitals will be loosened, it added.
The plan also considers training more doctors and nurses and aims to increase the ratio of medical workers per 1,000 citizens from one in 2013 to 1.25 in 2020.
