China Seeks More Clinics to Cope With Surge of Respiratory Illnesses in Children

China’s top health body urged hospitals nationwide to extend service hours and set up more clinics amid the recent increase in infections.
China Seeks More Clinics to Cope With Surge of Respiratory Illnesses in Children
Children and their parents wait at an outpatient area at a children hospital in Beijing on Nov. 23, 2023. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images
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China’s top health body urged hospitals nationwide to extend service hours and set up more clinics, as the recent increase in respiratory illnesses drew global concerns.

The message delivered at a Nov. 26 news conference held by the National Health Commission (NHC) came as domestic media reports show that long lines have formed at pediatric hospitals, with some parents reporting that they waited up to eight hours to get their children to see a doctor.