The report delivered at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China called for the expansion and a more balanced distribution of high-quality medical services. CGTN went to the Shenyang City, where the first national health center in China's northeast is under​ construction.

​People lining up in hallways and elevator lobbies, this is what usually seen at tertiary hospitals across China. The situation in pediatric clinics is even more critical, as some parents traveling hundreds of miles simply because they don't have faith in their local clinics, or facilities are not available in small towns. 

Li Jiujun, deputy director of ​the Pediatric Emergency Department in the Shengjing Hospital (SJH) of China Medical University, believed these centers can ease the pressure on the healthcare system​.

"The center will be put into operation in 2024. We expect to provide a high quality-healthcare coverage for the entire northeastern region and play a leading role in diagnosis and treatment of rare and severe diseases, all matching national standards​," said Li.

According to the National Health Commission (NHC), the number of visits to top hospitals increased by nearly 24 percent from 1.8 billion in 2020 to 2.2 billion last year. Take pediatrics for instance, the country has a very large number of children and it is a tough job to ensure every child receives quality medical services near home.

"The central government has and will continue to carry out strict assessments for this project, not just for the medical services we provide, but also for our resources in education, research and development, disease control and prevention and day-to-day management," said Zhao Yuhong, hospital secretary of the SJH.

However, the shortage of pediatricians has long been an issue in China. According to the NHC, the number of practicing physicians in pediatrics was about 118,000, which was 0.53 per 1,000 children aged 0–14 years, whereas in the developed countries, this number is from 0.8 to 1.5.

Zhao said that challenge could bring progress. 

"It will be a learning curve for us in mobilizing talents. We will divide our talents into units and train medical personnel for different roles and departments, most importantly to have more young pediatricians to match the national demand,​" Zhao added.

The construction of 50 national health centers are now underway across the country, all of which are expected to be put into service during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).