China’s rapid economic growth over the past 40 years was accompanied by emerging health problems such as non-communicable diseases, an ageing population, and rising expectations about health. Difficulties with health financing, healthcare delivery, and public health made health service reform urgent.

In 2009, China embarked upon comprehensive reform of the health system after decades of community complaints about difficulties in access to and cost of health care. Ten years later the effectiveness of the new health system was tested by the COVID-19 pandemic.  This talk will consider the achievements and shortfalls of the health reform and consider how well the health system was prepared for COVID-19, if not the next health challenge.

Vivian Lin will provide a history of health policy and reform in China, highlighting SARS and what led to the 2009 reforms. Involved with the 10-year review of the reforms conducted at the request of the Chinese government, Vivian will share data from that review to discuss the impact of the reforms over the 2009-19 decade. The final portion of her presentation will look back and also look forward, reflecting on COVID and implications for the future.