Healthcare

A security personnel in a protective suit keeps watch as medical workers attend to patients at the fever department of Tongji Hospital, a major facility for Covid patients, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on 1 January 2023. (Staff/Reuters)

Chinese doctor: Why non-compliant practices are rampant in China's hospitals

Medical researcher and doctor Hayson Wang assesses that Chinese public hospitals being run like businesses is a key reason for the widespread occurrence of corruption in the medical sector. Unless hospitals are well-funded and supported, they will continue to find it difficult to provide good public welfare and stay away from corruption.
Former Japanese politician Yasuhiro Sonoda publicly drank half a cup of radioactive water that he claimed had been treated in October 2011. (Screen grab from YouTube video)

Chinese academic: Can we die from drinking Fukushima treated wastewater?

With the uproar around the Fukushima treated wastewater at a peak, Chinese academic Zhang Tiankan takes a look at historical and scientific facts that help us understand the risks and effects of drinking treated nuclear-contaminated water. Is the fear justified?
Medical workers rescue a patient at the intensive care unit of Pengshan District People's Hospital, following a surge of Covid-19 infections across the country, in Meishan, Sichuan province, China, on 21 January 2023. (CNS photo via Reuters)

When heroes and the corrupt coexist: Rooting out medical corruption in China

Commentator Tan Haojun highlights the many grey areas that the people in white in China find themselves in, amid an all-out anti-corruption campaign in the medical sector. It may be unimaginable that the same sector lauded for brave work during the pandemic is under investigation for rampant corruption. The reality is that heroes and the corrupt coexist, and only by reining in those hungry for power and profit can the system start to rid itself of the bad hats.
Medical workers wheel a patient at a hospital in Shenyang, China's northeastern Liaoning province, on 21 October 2021. (AFP)

China’s medical crackdown has unintended repercussions

Over the past month, China’s medical sector has been swept by a wave of anti-corruption efforts, with nearly 180 hospital directors and secretaries under investigation so far. Some people cheer the aggressive effort, but it has also created a lot of unintended repercussions. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Chen Jing discusses her own experience seeing doctors in China and warns of the potential drawbacks of a stern crackdown.
Workers are seen at the construction site of a newly-built shopping centre in Beijing, China, on 30 May 2023. (Jade Gao/AFP)

Time is running out for China to take care of its ageing migrant workers

China’s first-generation of migrant workers who joined the labour force in the 1980s and 1990s will reach their sixties over the next decade. Despite the number of working years under their belt, they could be left financially worse for wear once they reach retirement. How should the officials ensure this generation of workers have enough to support themselves when the time comes? Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk tells us more.
Robots on display at a CloudMinds Technology Inc. booth at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China on 7 July 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

China’s strides in AI: Promising but not without its challenges

While China and the West have different strategic visions, they face the common challenge of tackling pitfalls and regulatory challenges while embracing the potential of AI, says Chinese academic Zhang Tiankan.
Xu Zaozao speaks to the media before a second hearing of her case suing a Beijing hospital for refusing to freeze her eggs on the basis that she is unmarried, at the No. 3 Intermediate People's Court in Beijing, China, on 9 May 2023. (Jade Gao/AFP)

A woman's right to freeze her eggs: Chinese society debates

As China faces a dire population crisis of ageing population and declining birth rates, public discussion on female reproductive rights have gained attention. Assisted reproductive technologies such as egg freezing has become a sought-after option for women looking to delay child bearing, but it remains a contentious issue in China. Lianhe Zaobao's China Desk tells us more.
Demonstrators gather outside Zhongshan park to protest changes to medical benefits in Wuhan, China, 15 February 2023 in this still image from social media video obtained by Reuters. (Social media/Reuters)

China’s silent healthcare insurance reform triggers protests among elderly

Recent changes to China’s medical insurance system have received backlash from its elderly population, who fear that their reduced incomes and increased medical expenses will make healthcare unaffordable for them. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing looks at how the reforms will be implemented and their impact on the people.
People visit a traditional Spring Festival flower market which reopened after closure due to the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, on 20 January 2023. (AFP)

Is China finally seeing the end of the pandemic?

Despite worries that Covid infections would rise sharply after the Chinese New Year period, statistics show that earlier fears were unfounded. The sudden change has netizens speculating if “solar storms” helped to quell the virus. Can China really expect clearer skies ahead?