Party seeks better rehab for disabled

Party seeks better rehab for disabled

Chinadaily USA

20th November 2020

Party seeks better rehab for disabled

Proposal comes amid broader efforts to boost health services, prevent diseases

In a proposal for China's development priorities in the next five years and beyond, the Communist Party of China Central Committee has called for better rehabilitation therapies for disabled people.

Released earlier this month following an annual Party gathering in Beijing, the proposal called for more efforts to improve rehabilitation services, public health education and the control of chronic diseases, among other initiatives.

It was part of a broader effort by the Party to advance its "Health China" strategy that was unveiled three years ago. It aims to bolster health services and prevent diseases and disabilities as China rapidly ages.

To meet the goals, Zhang Haidi, chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, conducted research in hopes of instilling cutting-edge elements into rehabilitation treatments and products, such as wheelchairs and canes.

While addressing a conference on Monday, she called on rehabilitation professionals across the nation to step up academic research and help create China's first national lab for rehabilitation medicine.

She encouraged the attending therapists and researchers to study the idea of making medical rehabilitation an independent discipline parallel to clinical medicine to boost related research and train professionals, which are in short supply.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202011/19/WS5fb5bf8da31024ad0ba95078.html