The rural medical service system was first established at the beginning of the People's Commune, and by the 1970s, a three-tier medical and preventive health care network of counties, townships and villages was basically set up to cover the entire rural area. At the county level, there are county hospitals, epidemic prevention stations and maternal and child health centers; at the township level, there are township health centers; and at the village level, there are village health centers.
The coverage rate of rural cooperative medical care has reached more than 90 percent. This system basically meets the needs of rural medical services under the planned economy.
But after the reform and opening up, this system has not adapted to the adjustment of the economic system to make fundamental changes, the original cooperative medical system in rural areas quickly disintegrated, the village health clinic has been withdrawn, contracted, and most of the essence of the individual health care points.