China releases six-year plan to raise health awareness

Chinese health authorities have released a six-year plan aimed at improving the public's health literacy. In a press briefing Friday morning, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced a detailed plan to achieve health literacy by 2020.

It aims to inform the public in three aspects: basic health knowledge, healthy lifestyles, and basic medical skills. It also gives suggestions on how to deal with chronic and infectious diseases, as well as promotes Traditional Chinese Medicine. Authorities will also provide for a funding and monitoring mechanism to help the plan's smooth implementation.

On a separate note at the briefing, the commission called for all health departments to take precautions against foot and mouth disease, as it's currently peak outbreak season.