Online hospital to assist Yi people in Sichuan

The Sichuan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission has signed an agreement related to construction of an online hospital in the provincial capital of Chengdu with We Doctor, an online medical service provider in China.

Attending the signing ceremony on Thursday, Shen Ji, head of the commission, said that the hospital will use the internet to help people who lack qualified medical service in less developed areas in Sichuan.

Shen said that 88 poor counties in Sichuan suffer from a severe shortage of medical resources.

Thanks to the hospital, patients in the counties can seek medical consultation offered by famous doctors in major hospitals in Chengdu as well as other parts of China, he said.

The Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in Sichuan which has the largest Yi population in China is one of the least developed areas in the province. It is expected to benefit from the hospital.

Nearly five million people in the poor counties in the prefecture can receive basic check-ups in local rural clinics when they are sick. The results of the check-ups will be sent to the online hospital through the internet.

Famous doctors with the online hospital can analyze the results of the check-ups and diagnose patients in online video conferences which are attended by doctors in rural clinics in Liangshan and their patients.

"It will improve the accuracy of diagnosis by my clinic and enhance local residents' confidence in out clinic," said Zhang Xuehui, head of the Yinchang township clinic in Xichang, capital of Liangshan.