Action Plan Released on Disability Prevention

China will strengthen disability prevention efforts by promoting premarital healthcare and healthy lifestyles, while also improving the development prospects of people with disabilities.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, recently released an action plan focusing on disability prevention which aims to better control causes of disability, such as genetic inheritance or diseases, by 2025. It also aims to improve rehabilitation services for the people with a disability.

According to the action plan, China will promote premarital and pre-conception healthcare to reduce physical problems among newborns. The action plan also emphasizes that older women who are pregnant should be given priority for prenatal checkups, calling for the setting up of a specialized management system for such women, and the improvement of grassroots healthcare services of village- and county-level maternal and children’s healthcare centers.

The action plan highlights the promotion of good lifestyles – including a balanced diet with less sugar and salt – to help control adult disabilities caused by chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.