Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday called for unswirving efforts to deepen the country's medical reform, in order to better protect people's health.

Li, also head of the State Council's leading group on health care system reform, made the remarks at a work conference held here in Beijing.

Noting that health care reform was a tough issue worldwide, Li called on all departments to face up to the difficulties and build a basic health care service system accessible to all.

He pointed out that the building of an essential drug system was the most important and difficult part in the medical reform.

By the end of this year or the beginning of next year, 30 percent of government-owned community health institutes and county-level hospitals should use medicines on the essential drug list and sell them at controlled low prices, Li said.

Such practices should be carried out by all government-owned community health institutes and county-level hospitals across the country in three years, he said.

The vice premier urged relevant departments to further promote the essential drug system and to ensure sufficient production and supply of the essential drugs.

They should also make sure the essential drugs are safe and sold at controlled prices, and should provide reasonable compensations to government-owned community health institutes and county-level hospitals, Li said.

He urged local government departments to enhance leadership and ensure sufficient fund to make sure the essential drug system meets its original goals.

The government departments should also make efforts to improve public awareness, and mobilize health workers and grassroot health institutes to play the main role in deepening the medical reform, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2009)