China streamlines health-related approval procedures

The National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) has delegated approval authority over certain issues to agencies at local level, a government statement said Tuesday. It is among China's follow-up efforts to turn into realities a cabinet reshuffle plan that was adopted by its legislature in March, according to a central government statement. The NHFPC has delegated approval authority over the setting up of Chinese mainland-based hospitals solely funded by Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan investors to provincial-level health authorities, the statement said. Moreover, for foreign medical groups to conduct short-term medical treatments in China, approval now is only needed from municipality-level government agencies, instead of from the NHFPC, it added. The statement said a rule detailing the NHFPC's new institutional structure and duties was approved by the State Council, or China's cabinet, recently. China introduced a cabinet reshuffle plan in March in a bid to improve government functioning efficiency and reduce administrative intervention in the market and on social issues. The restructuring plan came after complaints about the duplication of functions, overlapping management, low efficiency and bureaucracy among some government organs.