China Releases Medium- and Long-Term Plan for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control (2017–2025)

On February 14, 2017, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Medium- and Long-Term Plan for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases in China (2017–2025),” deploying efforts to strengthen chronic disease prevention and control over the next 5–10 years, reduce the disease burden, and increase residents’ healthy life expectancy.

Accompanied by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and population aging, as well as the consequent rapid changes in production and lifestyle patterns, the number of individuals with chronic diseases in China has risen sharply. Currently, more than 300 million people in China have been diagnosed with chronic diseases. Chronic diseases now account for 85% of all deaths among Chinese residents and contribute to 70% of the total disease burden. Meanwhile, chronic diseases are showing a trend toward affecting younger populations, severely impacting residents’ quality of life and physical health.

"The Plan" sets reducing premature mortality from major chronic diseases as its core objective. By 2020, it aims to achieve a 10% reduction in the premature mortality rate among individuals aged 30–70 years due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes, compared with 2015 levels. By 2025, it strives to achieve a 20% reduction in this rate relative to 2015. The Plan also seeks to gradually increase residents' healthy life expectancy and effectively control the disease burden of chronic conditions.

The Plan lists 16 key indicators related to chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease mortality rate, five-year cancer survival rate, pulmonary function testing rate among residents aged 40 and above, and the number of hypertensive patients under management, with specific targets set for 2020 and 2025 respectively.

“The Plan” proposes eight strategic measures based on the key aspects of chronic disease prevention and control, covering all the work content for chronic disease prevention and control over the next 10 years.