Chongqing - The Third Session of the 6th Chongqing Municipal People's Congress will convene on January 19, 2025. In 2024, over 800 deputies submitted 1,306 suggestions, all of which were addressed and responded to.

Li Yiqiang, deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress and the Party Secretary of Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone People's Hospital, has suggested establishing a comprehensive tertiary hospital network across the main urban areas.

Tertiary hospitals in China are advanced medical institutions that offer comprehensive healthcare services, including specialized treatment, research, and education. They typically have a large capacity and high-level medical expertise.

Li Yiqiang, deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress and the Party Secretary of Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone People's Hospital. (Photo/Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone People's Hospital)

In his suggestion, Li calls for the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission to take the lead in rolling out tertiary hospitals across the metropolitan area, beginning with key cities. This aims to provide the public with higher-quality healthcare services and effectively implement the Healthy China Initiative.

The Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone, located in the southern part of the city, has a peak residential population of around 300,000.

Before this suggestion, the region lacked a tertiary hospital, forcing residents to travel outside the area to receive treatment at higher-level hospitals for certain conditions, negatively affecting their healthcare experience.

 "The construction of a tertiary hospital would not only enhance the quality of medical services but also improve healthcare access, ultimately supporting the implementation of the Healthy China Initiative in the region," Li said.

By the end of 2024, Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone People's Hospital received approval from the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission to upgrade to a national tertiary comprehensive hospital.

"The most immediate impact is that the establishment of a tertiary hospital has significantly enhanced our soft power, hardware capabilities, and treatment capacities," Li said. "Conditions previously untreatable are now within our capabilities, greatly easing the burden on patients and reducing their medical costs."

Li Yiqiang (center) during a visit and research survey. (Photo/Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone People's Hospital)

Due to the aging population and rising cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the hospital regularly performs interventional procedures such as coronary artery interventions, pacemaker implants, radiofrequency ablation, and treatments for cerebrovascular, respiratory, and peripheral vascular conditions. This offers comprehensive care and reduces the need for distant transfers.

Furthermore, tertiary hospitals will be more competitive in terms of talent acquisition and will have more substantial capabilities in academic development and professional training. 

Li said that the upgraded hospital now offers richer medical resources, stronger technical teams, broader health insurance coverage, and enhanced grassroots support, ensuring residents have access to high-quality, efficient healthcare services closer to home, addressing long-standing challenges in the local healthcare system.

According to a Chongqing Municipal Health Commission representative, the city now has 123 tertiary healthcare institutions, including seven new public tertiary hospitals added in 2024. The main urban areas are now fully served by tertiary medical institutions.