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Hainan Medical Tourism Zone to increase overseas pharmaceutical purchases

Lecheng's foreign partners include Swiss pharmaceutical corporation Novartis

HAIKOU, September 10. /TASS/. Lecheng International Medical Tourism Zone in the east of Hainan will increase purchases of pharmaceuticals in other countries, therefore it is actively boosting cooperation with foreign manufacturers of relevant products, reported the Hainan Daily. 

According to the newspaper, this innovative platform has concluded agreements on regular supplies of medicines with more than 40 leading foreign manufacturers of medicines. As a result, Chinese citizens and foreigners who visit Hainan to receive treatment at local clinics can purchase over 70 high-quality imported drugs for patients with serious illnesses.

The administration of Lecheng Medical Tourism Zone specified that at the same time active work is underway to form an effective health insurance system. Since August 2020, more than 360,000 people have joined this program.

"We have signed a cooperation agreement with the Beijing Health Insurance Administration, <...> special pharmaceuticals will now be available outside Hainan," said head of Lecheng administration Gu Gang. According to him, thanks to the medical tourism zone, Hainan's Free Trade Port is becoming more and more attractive to consumers.

Lecheng's foreign partners include Swiss pharmaceutical corporation Novartis. It plans to increase the supply of modern drugs to the province. Most of these drugs are not yet on the Chinese market.

In February 2013, the Chinese State Council approved an initiative to establish an advanced health cluster on eastern Hainan. Lecheng is a short car ride from the annual Boao Forum for Asia and is considered the island's medical trademark. In 2019, this special zone received about 75,000 tourists, and the total income from the main activities of hospitals, sanatoriums and other institutions located on its territory exceeded 640 million yuan (approximately $ 96 million), an increase of 75% year on year.

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