China's barefoot doctor: past, present, and future

Abstract

China's long struggle with rural coverage for health care goes back to the early part of the 20th century. However, these early efforts were seen at that time as unsuccessful. 1 Li TA Report on Chinese Rural Healthcare Inquiry. Chin Med J. 1934; 20: 1113-1201 Google Scholar Although the Government tried to draft private practitioners into the rural medical service corps, 2 Chen HF History of Chinese healthcare. Shanghai Science and Technology Press, Shanghai1993: 267 Google Scholar delivery of health care was still scarce after 1949. Health-care expenditure for 8·3 million urban citizens covered by the state was more than that for 500 million peasants in 1964. 3 Huang SZ Lin SX Health in modern China. Chinese Social Science Press, Beijing1986: 13 Google Scholar After Mao Zedong criticised the urban bias of medical services and pointed out the stress placed on rural areas in 1965, 4 Mao ZD Long live Mao Zedong thought. Internal Sources. 1970; : 135 Google Scholar mobile teams of doctors from urban hospitals were sent to deliver health care and train indigenous paramedics.