State-building and the establishment of the modern healthcare system in China

ABSTRACT The establishment of a modern health system in China can be divided into three stages. Stage One covers the periods between late nineteenth century and 1927, during which the Qing government and the Beiyang government established a rudimentary health system in a couple of Chinese cities. Stage Two, covering the period from 1928 to 1949, witnessed the efforts of the Nationalist government in managing nationwide public health by relying on medical professionals with modern Western training. In Stage Three, which spans the period between 1949 and 1966, a modern heath system was established in China. Not only was a national network of health institutions put into place, but also the state-imposed direct management of the newly-established healthcare system. Health institutions at different levels were reorganized as public institutions and pharmaceutical companies were nationalized. Overall, the evolution of China’s modern healthcare system experienced a shift from administration of public health and private medical care providers to a set of nationwide public institutions to serve the people.