Nurturing a healthier future for China's next generation

When a child falls ill, even a simple fever can leave parents worried and searching for care. For millions of families, making sure a sick child gets timely, quality care is about more than treating an illness. It is about having help close to home, knowing where to turn when demand surges, and feeling that someone is there to care for their child.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan places greater emphasis on protecting minors and improving children's access to healthcare, with a particular focus on strengthening pediatric services.

At a press conference held by China's State Council Information Office on Monday, Lei Haichao, director of China's National Health Commission, said that pediatric clinics or departments at hospitals across the country can generally meet people's demand. But every autumn and winter, as respiratory infections surge, hospitals see a sharp rise in sick children, putting outpatient clinics and inpatient wards under considerable strain.

For parents, that can mean long waits at crowded hospitals. Some worry that local clinics may not have the expertise to treat their children, while others hesitate to take them to top-tiered hospitals, where overcrowding can make the experience even more stressful.

To address these challenges, China has been working to build a pediatric care system that is convenient and accessible in everyday situations, while remaining responsive when demand surges, according to Lei.

Bringing healthcare for children closer to home

One priority is strengthening pediatric services at the community level.

Today, all secondary and tertiary public general hospitals in China provide pediatric care, while about 90% of community health centers and township health centers can also treat children.

This year, the National Health Commission aims to add another 1,000 community and township facilities offering pediatric services, bringing the number even higher – to more than 95% by the end of the year.

The authority has also sent around 3,100 pediatricians from secondary and tertiary hospitals to support community and township medical facilities. The goal is simple: for common conditions such as fever, coughs and diarrhea, families of sick children should be able to get help without having to travel for a long time to get treated at a bigger-scale hospital.

Making a hospital visit easier

Hospitals are also adjusting how and when care is delivered, particularly during seasonal peaks.

During periods when contagious diseases are more common among children, many medical institutions open evening and weekend clinics. Appointment systems, one-stop services and streamlined testing and treatment procedures are also being introduced to cut down on waiting and unnecessary trips between departments.

For parents juggling work, school and childcare, even a shorter wait can make a difficult day a little easier.

Building more child-friendly hospitals

Another goal is to make hospitals more welcoming to younger patients.

As Lei introduced at a press conferece held in June this year, more than 3,000 medical institutions have already been designated as child-friendly hospitals. China aims to make more than 90% of hospitals specializing in pediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics child-friendly hospitals by 2030.

The idea goes beyond medical treatment – it is about creating an environment where children feel less anxious and parents feel more at ease.

Connecting hospitals, sharing expertise

Some hospitals are also looking beyond their own walls to make better use of medical resources.

Beijing Children's Hospital of Capital Medical University, for example, has long faced heavy patient traffic, particularly during flu season. Its president, Ni Xin, told China Media Group (CMG) that the hospital responded by developing the idea that "pediatrics is one family nationwide" and establishing a medical alliance to connect pediatric resources.

The network now brings together more than 50 hospitals and connects with over 3,000 primary-level medical institutions across all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China.

By sharing expertise and coordinating resources across different levels of care, the network aims to make high-quality pediatric services more accessible to children across the nation.

When doctors and AI work together

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also beginning to play a role in advancing children's healthcare.

A policy issued by multiple authorities in late 2025 called for wider use of AI-assisted clinical decision-making, particularly in areas such as pediatrics, oncology, mental health and rare diseases. AI-assisted diagnosis is also expected to become widely available in primary healthcare institutions by 2027, with broader coverage targeted by 2030.

At Beijing Children's Hospital, Ni said he sometimes considers AI-generated recommendations during consultations. "We doctors' ideas about diseases are constantly being updated day by day, and we also teach AI with more first-hand data," he told CMG.

But AI is not meant to replace the doctor. The hospital uses what Ni describes as a "two-doctor hybrid model", which combines a human physician with an AI counterpart. The final decision, he stressed, always rests with the human doctor.

It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes the efforts of many to help them thrive. From doctors and hospitals to communities, to technology developers and policymakers, China is trying to build a safer, more accessible and resilient healthcare system for children and for the future.