The World Health Organisation has recognized China’s significant public health achievements in reducing hepatitis B prevalence and pressing ahead with large scale health sector reform.

WHO Western Pacific Regional Director Dr Shin Young-soo, on an official visit to Beijing this week, presented an award to Minister Li Bin and the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) to mark China’s historic reduction of hepatitis B among young children.

"The World Health Organization applauds China's leadership in providing lifelong protection from chronic hepatitis B to its youngest citizens and preventing transmission to future generations," Dr Shin said at the award ceremony held yesterday.

The hepatitis B vaccine program in China has been highly successful, responsible for the reduction of the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection to less than 1% among children less than 5 years old, down from over 9% in 1992 when the vaccine was introduced.

"Administering a dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth is critically important to protect babies from hepatitis B infection during childbirth," Dr Shin emphasized.

"Hepatitis B vaccination is the safest and most effective way to prevent hepatitis B infection for life, a fact that has been so clearly demonstrated in China for more than 20 years."

On the same day, Dr Shin also participated in NHFPC Vice Minister Sun Zhigang’s annual briefing on China’s ongoing health care reforms, hosted by NHFPC and WHO.

Vice Minister Sun reviewed the progress in the latest phase of health care reform since 2009. Key achievements include a major push towards universal coverage of basic health insurance, thereby reaching 95 percent of the population, increasing reimbursement of health care costs, and expanding access to basic public health services.

The central government has also invested 94 billion yuan (USD 15.5 billion) to support the construction of 2,600 county hospitals and 64,000 primary health facilities between 2009 and 2013.

"This pace of progress is remarkable. I am greatly impressed by the commitment to health sector reform in China. However, there remain huge challenges in China, including the country’s sheer size," said Dr Shin.

"WHO will continue to work closely with the Government to help ensure that all of China’s people – especially those most in need and hardest to reach –have access to essential health care."

Vice Minister Sun also outlined the government’s health reform plans for 2014, including accelerating the reform of public hospitals to achieve breakthroughs, pushing forward the universal medical insurance system, consolidating and improving the essential drug system and new operational mechanisms for grassroots institutions, and promoting private investment in health institutions.

"China’s health care reforms are bold and ambitious, with the long term goal of achieving equity in health care," concluded Dr Shin.

"Many countries are looking to learn from China’s innovations and experiences towards achieving universal health coverage. With its success in tackling hepatitis B, its robust response to emerging infectious diseases like H7N9 influenza, and its sweeping health sector reforms, China has demonstrated exactly why it is such a major player in regional and global public health. What happens in China truly impacts the world."