Reducing health inequities, building better lives

• In recent decades, China has made remarkable gains in promoting economic development, reducing poverty and improving living standards. Yet it still faces significant development disparities across geographic regions, rich and poor households, urban and rural residents, and migrant and resident populations within cities.
• These disparities are particularly pronounced in the remote and resource-poor areas of western China.
• Key health threats include unsafe water, poor sanitation, indoor pollution, food safety and, increasingly, non-communicable diseases.
• Since 2000, China’s Western Development Strategy has helped boost economic and social development. But many people still live in poverty, and health outcomes in the west remain significantly below those of the national average.
• The Western Area Health Initiative is addressing many of these challenges, through strategies and action-oriented plans designed to reduce health inequities and to improve the lives of those in the poorest and most vulnerable communities.
• This initiative takes an innovative approach to health system strengthening by emphasizing the importance of a multi-sectoral, ‘Health in All Policies’. The policy is founded on evidence-based local health planning with phased implementation of priority action plans to reduce inequities.
• The Western Area Health Initiative is helping local health policymakers and practitioners access WHO's best global expertise in health systems management. This Initiative systematically and scientifically develops provincial health profiles, strengthens health systems, establishes comprehensive health management information systems and implements innovative urban and rural health interventions.