“This is a successful practice of how digital technology can reshape primary healthcare.” In the early hours of May 20 (Beijing time), at a thematic side event of the 78th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, Wu Liying, a representative from the Health Bureau of Jingning She Autonomous County, shared the county’s experience in implementing the “Smart Mobile Hospital + AI” model. Several officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) gave the above assessment.

The World Health Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the WHO. During the side event themed “Digital Empowerment for Primary Healthcare to Promote Universal Health Coverage”, Jingning’s Health Bureau was the only grassroots county-level unit in China invited to deliver a presentation.

“Please look at the photo—this is our ‘Smart Mobile Hospital’ clinic vehicle. It is equipped with 23 types of facilities in five major categories, including ECG monitors, portable ultrasound machines, and pulmonary function testing devices. It can be called a mobile ‘mini-hospital’.” In her speech, Wu Liying began by highlighting the geographical challenges of mountainous areas and used visuals to present the services provided by the “Smart Mobile Hospital”, such as traditional Chinese and Western medical diagnosis and treatment, medicine dispensing and reimbursement, and emergency medical care.

To address the difficulties mountain residents face in accessing healthcare, Jingning launched rural mobile healthcare services in 2019, sending clinic vehicles to remote villages to provide residents with one-stop services such as outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests, and medicine collection right at their doorsteps. In 2024, the model was further upgraded, making the “Smart Mobile Hospital” more intelligent and modernized—ensuring not only that people could see a doctor near home, but that they could receive quality healthcare at their doorstep.

Currently, Jingning has seven clinic vehicles in operation, serving 67 administrative villages and 78 clinic points across the county, covering more than 250,000 kilometers in total and serving over 100,000 people. All administrative villages in the county without medical institutions are now fully covered. Across Lishui, a total of 64 mobile clinic vehicles are in use, the number of medical equipment types has increased from 7 to 23, and the service frequency has been expanded from irregular visits to fixed schedules—four visits per month with designated times, locations, and personnel.

Today, the “Smart Mobile Hospital + AI” model has been promoted and applied throughout Zhejiang Province. The National Health Commission is also recommending the practice nationwide, benefiting more residents in remote areas. Qin Jiangmei, a researcher at the Health Development Research Center of the National Health Commission, commented that this innovation from Zhejiang provides a valuable reference for the delivery of primary healthcare services in China’s mountainous, island, and other special regions.

This Chinese solution, which uses digital technology to solve healthcare difficulties in mountainous areas, has drawn widespread attention from attendees around the world. On-site participants from countries including Thailand, Ethiopia, Peru, and Tanzania spoke highly of the initiative, believing that China’s experience in using smart healthcare to support equitable access to primary healthcare offers important insights and reference value.

At the end of the presentation, the audience burst into warm applause. “One by one, international friends gave a thumbs-up, showing great recognition of our approach. Some even came up to take pictures with me. I feel truly honored to have been able to present this Chinese solution of smart healthcare in mountainous regions to countries around the world,” said Wu Liying with excitement.