Page 392 - 2018 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
P. 392
8 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
is now a major public health issue in China. According U.S. in terms of cases. According to the latest data,
to The State Council Information Office of the People’s 11.6 percent of Chinese adults have diabetes. The
Republic of China, doctors diagnose 260 million people population of Chinese with diabetes stands at some
with chronic illnesses every year. Chronic diseases are 114 million people — about a third of all people with
responsible for 85 percent of yearly mortalities. The diabetes, according to the International Diabetes
diseases that account for the most deaths are cancer Foundation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas. Also troubling was the
(27.79 percent), cerebrovascular disease (20.22 percent) study finding that of the 99,000 people surveyed, half
and heart disease (21.3 percent). Rising rates of had pre-diabetes blood sugar, abnormally high but not
incidence and the spread of chronic diseases prompted high enough to diagnose diabetes. Some projections
a serious government response. To combat chronic even suggest 493.4 million Chinese could be afflicted
diseases, the government created the Chinese Chronic by pre-diabetes. These findings indicate the enormity
Disease Prevention Work Plan (2012–2015). A focal point of diabetes as a public health problem in China. In
of the prevention plan is the use of monitoring devices the 1980s, Chinese doctors rarely saw diabetes. Jeppe
to treat chronic diseases. Regardless, chronic diseases Thieseen, Vice President of Marketing at Novo Nordisk
are expensive to treat. The treatment of chronic diseases in China, estimates that 70 million diabetics, number
accounts for 70 percent of healthcare spending. The nearly equal to the population of Germany, live without
World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that heart treatment. Diabetes is set to become the heaviest
disease, stroke, and diabetes altogether cost China 3.91 burden on the Chinese healthcare system, as the IDF
trillion yuan between 2006 and 2015. In the future, it is estimates diabetes accounts for 13 percent of medical
likely that chronic disease treatment will consume more expenditure in China, with yearly costs estimated
resources. The Chinese government is currently working to reach $47 billion by 2030. The number of people
to provide all citizens with basic medical insurance. affected by diabetes has spiked in recent years and is
However, the growth of chronic diseases has made this expected to reach 150 million Chinese by 2040. The
endeavor costlier than expected (Sferrazza, pt 1). biggest challenge now for the Chinese government is to
raise public awareness of the symptoms of diabetes and
Despite important inroads in controlling lung cancer the benefits of early diagnosis (Sferrazza, pt 1).
incidence via the implementation of the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control, China remains the The Chinese government plans to further promote
largest consumer and producer of tobacco products, the development of healthcare industry to meet the
and a quarter of the population—about 300 million needs of the rapidly growing elderly population.
people—are smokers, and more than 730,000 new cases Healthcare development is a key part of the country’s
of lung cancer still occur annually. Ironically, decreases in supply-side structural reform and crucial to addressing
lung cancer incidences attributable to reduced smoking people’s needs, said a statement released after the
are being offset by increases caused by pollution. In August 2017 State Council executive meeting presided
January 2017, smog in some cities was 40 times higher over by Premier Li Keqiang. The meeting detailed key
than the WHO’s recommended safe limits, and these tasks, including setting up an action plan for healthcare
levels will be further exacerbated by a government industry development and streamlining administrative
decision to invest in 200 new coal-burning power plants. approvals for establishment of medical and elder care
Plus, deterioration in groundwater quality resulting institutions. The government will boost the integration of
from discharge of carcinogenic chemicals directly into healthcare with elder care services, tourism, sports and
rivers by factories further compounds the future health the Internet, and a supervisory system will be established
of Chinese citizens. The revised Environment Protection to ensure a fair environment for development. The
Law, enacted in 2015 as part of China’s long-running statement also said that the government would cultivate
“blue skies, green land, and clear running water” more health professionals as well as support the research
strategy, introduced harsher punishments for polluters, of urgently needed medicine and the production of
but the unrelenting downward trends suggest much is medical equipment (Ming).
still needed to be done (Lancet).
Digital Healthcare Platforms
China also currently faces the world’s largest diabetes
epidemic, one worsening at a fearsome pace. The most According to the 2017 Future Health Index from
recent research found that China has overtaken the Philips, China has the lowest density of skilled health
392
is now a major public health issue in China. According U.S. in terms of cases. According to the latest data,
to The State Council Information Office of the People’s 11.6 percent of Chinese adults have diabetes. The
Republic of China, doctors diagnose 260 million people population of Chinese with diabetes stands at some
with chronic illnesses every year. Chronic diseases are 114 million people — about a third of all people with
responsible for 85 percent of yearly mortalities. The diabetes, according to the International Diabetes
diseases that account for the most deaths are cancer Foundation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas. Also troubling was the
(27.79 percent), cerebrovascular disease (20.22 percent) study finding that of the 99,000 people surveyed, half
and heart disease (21.3 percent). Rising rates of had pre-diabetes blood sugar, abnormally high but not
incidence and the spread of chronic diseases prompted high enough to diagnose diabetes. Some projections
a serious government response. To combat chronic even suggest 493.4 million Chinese could be afflicted
diseases, the government created the Chinese Chronic by pre-diabetes. These findings indicate the enormity
Disease Prevention Work Plan (2012–2015). A focal point of diabetes as a public health problem in China. In
of the prevention plan is the use of monitoring devices the 1980s, Chinese doctors rarely saw diabetes. Jeppe
to treat chronic diseases. Regardless, chronic diseases Thieseen, Vice President of Marketing at Novo Nordisk
are expensive to treat. The treatment of chronic diseases in China, estimates that 70 million diabetics, number
accounts for 70 percent of healthcare spending. The nearly equal to the population of Germany, live without
World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that heart treatment. Diabetes is set to become the heaviest
disease, stroke, and diabetes altogether cost China 3.91 burden on the Chinese healthcare system, as the IDF
trillion yuan between 2006 and 2015. In the future, it is estimates diabetes accounts for 13 percent of medical
likely that chronic disease treatment will consume more expenditure in China, with yearly costs estimated
resources. The Chinese government is currently working to reach $47 billion by 2030. The number of people
to provide all citizens with basic medical insurance. affected by diabetes has spiked in recent years and is
However, the growth of chronic diseases has made this expected to reach 150 million Chinese by 2040. The
endeavor costlier than expected (Sferrazza, pt 1). biggest challenge now for the Chinese government is to
raise public awareness of the symptoms of diabetes and
Despite important inroads in controlling lung cancer the benefits of early diagnosis (Sferrazza, pt 1).
incidence via the implementation of the Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control, China remains the The Chinese government plans to further promote
largest consumer and producer of tobacco products, the development of healthcare industry to meet the
and a quarter of the population—about 300 million needs of the rapidly growing elderly population.
people—are smokers, and more than 730,000 new cases Healthcare development is a key part of the country’s
of lung cancer still occur annually. Ironically, decreases in supply-side structural reform and crucial to addressing
lung cancer incidences attributable to reduced smoking people’s needs, said a statement released after the
are being offset by increases caused by pollution. In August 2017 State Council executive meeting presided
January 2017, smog in some cities was 40 times higher over by Premier Li Keqiang. The meeting detailed key
than the WHO’s recommended safe limits, and these tasks, including setting up an action plan for healthcare
levels will be further exacerbated by a government industry development and streamlining administrative
decision to invest in 200 new coal-burning power plants. approvals for establishment of medical and elder care
Plus, deterioration in groundwater quality resulting institutions. The government will boost the integration of
from discharge of carcinogenic chemicals directly into healthcare with elder care services, tourism, sports and
rivers by factories further compounds the future health the Internet, and a supervisory system will be established
of Chinese citizens. The revised Environment Protection to ensure a fair environment for development. The
Law, enacted in 2015 as part of China’s long-running statement also said that the government would cultivate
“blue skies, green land, and clear running water” more health professionals as well as support the research
strategy, introduced harsher punishments for polluters, of urgently needed medicine and the production of
but the unrelenting downward trends suggest much is medical equipment (Ming).
still needed to be done (Lancet).
Digital Healthcare Platforms
China also currently faces the world’s largest diabetes
epidemic, one worsening at a fearsome pace. The most According to the 2017 Future Health Index from
recent research found that China has overtaken the Philips, China has the lowest density of skilled health
392
