A senior health official called for better integrating medical and preventive care, bringing more high-quality healthcare services to rural areas and accelerating medical science research during a meeting held by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association on Sunday.

Lei Haichao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, highlighted the significance of promoting the coordination and integration of clinical and preventive medicine and said that it is important to draw on the experiences gained from the COVID-19 epidemic.

He called for more efforts to be made to nurture talent who understand both clinical and preventive care, and who can improve the nation's ability to prevent and treat major illnesses and deal with acute public health events.

He spoke at the fifth national assembly of delegates of the Chinese Medical Doctors Association, which was held in Beijing on Sunday.

Lei also called for stronger partnerships between low-level and high-level hospitals, as well as urban and rural hospitals, and suggested that more professionals be sent to grassroots medical institutions to give residents in rural areas more access to high-quality services.

Improving self-reliance and capability in medical and health science is also critical, he said.

Efforts should be guided by the strategic needs of the nation and focus on enhancing preventive and clinical abilities, as well as on key technologies such as high-end medical equipment, innovative drugs, vaccines and high-value medical consumables.

Meanwhile, Lei also called for enhancing preclinical health services for the entire population, promoting health awareness, improving communication between doctors and patients and strengthening training on rules and regulations related to medicine.