First, the history of barefoot doctors
Barefoot doctors refer to rural grassroots health workers in China. They have no professional medical training, but they undertake important medical services in rural health stations and other primary medical institutions. In 1950s and 1960s, due to the lack of medical resources in rural areas of China at that time, the government launched the "Ten Million Rural Health Workers" program to encourage rural people to cultivate their own medical talents, thus forming a team of barefoot doctors.
Second, the status quo of barefoot doctors
However, with the widening gap between urban and rural development, the number and quality of barefoot doctors are also facing many challenges. On the one hand, the number of barefoot doctors is gradually decreasing, and many young people are no longer willing to engage in such work; On the other hand, the professional level of barefoot doctors is difficult to guarantee, lacking systematic medical knowledge and skills, and unable to provide comprehensive medical services for rural residents.
Third, the challenges faced by rural medical care in China
Besides the problem of barefoot doctors, rural medical care in China faces many other challenges. First of all, there is a shortage of medical resources, and the number of rural medical facilities and doctors is far from meeting the needs of rural residents; Secondly, the quality of medical care is unstable. Due to the uneven level of doctors, many farmers have low trust in rural medical care. Finally, medical expenses are high. Due to the low income level of farmers, many people can't afford high medical expenses, which leads to many people being poor due to illness.
Fourth, measures to improve rural medical care
In order to improve the medical situation in rural areas, the government and all walks of life have taken many measures. First of all, increase investment in rural medical care, and the government will gradually increase financial support for rural medical facilities and doctors to improve the level of rural medical care; Secondly, strengthen the training and management of barefoot doctors, and the government encourages barefoot doctors to receive systematic medical training to improve their professional level; Finally, to promote the reform of the medical and health system, the government gradually introduced policies such as medical insurance and medical assistance to reduce the medical burden on farmers.