In recent years, owing to the focus on the Great Leap Forward in production, health work has been somewhat neglected. It is now imperative to redouble our efforts without delay: promptly summarize past experience, and launch inspections, competitions, and evaluations. On February 2 of this year, the Central Committee approved the “Opinions of the Party Group of the Ministry of Public Health on Several Issues Concerning National Health Work,” which was forwarded to you long ago. However, our investigation reveals that this important and well-drafted document has not received the attention it deserves. In most provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, the secretaries of the party committees have neither read it nor transmitted it to party committees, party groups, and people’s communes at all levels. The Central Committee hereby reminds all comrades to attach great importance to this matter, to reinvigorate the Patriotic Health Campaign, which has been allowed to slacken over the past two years, and to achieve tangible results within the three-year period from 1960 to 1962, beginning with this year’s campaign.  To this end, within March of this year—no later than early April—party committees and party groups at the provincial, municipal, prefectural, county, and commune levels are to convene meetings attended by heads of relevant health authorities and mass organizations for a thorough discussion, under the leadership of the first secretary of the party committee. Specialized secretaries of party committees at all levels and secretaries of party groups in the relevant departments are likewise to assume responsibility, working under the direction of the first secretary. The Central Committee’s instruction of February 2 is to be immediately disseminated down to the level of the people’s communes. Provincial, municipal, and regional party committees should promptly issue their own directives to reestablish the organizational structure and operations of the Patriotic Health Campaign Committees, mobilize the masses, coordinate with the production drive, and mount a vigorous campaign to improve sanitation. Elderly persons, children, youth, adults, teachers, students, men, and women—all are urged to take up fly swatters and other tools and to launch a large-scale, high-profile effort to eradicate the “Four Pests.” All health and medical personnel are called upon to rally together with the party committees and the masses in a tripartite collaboration, demonstrate their capabilities, and criticize rightist tendencies.  One further point: sparrow hunting is to be discontinued; instead, the focus will shift to bedbugs. The slogan is: “Eradicate rats, bedbugs, flies, and mosquitoes.” As for other serious diseases, they are to be eliminated or brought under control according to plan. The work of local pest-control and disease-eradication committees must be closely supervised and rigorously inspected by party committees at all levels. Environmental hygiene is of paramount importance. We must strive to instill hygienic habits among residents, making cleanliness a source of pride and uncleanliness a mark of shame. Whenever feasible, we should encourage participation in gymnastics, ball games, running, mountain climbing, swimming, tai chi, and various other sports. It is incorrect to regard health work as an isolated undertaking. Its significance lies in its positive impact on production, work, study, and the transformation of our people’s generally weak physical constitution, leading to stronger bodies, cleaner environments, and close integration with the Great Leap Forward in production and the Cultural and Technological Revolutions. At present, many still fail to grasp the broader implications of this campaign to change customs and transform society. Therefore, we must carry out extensive publicity to ensure that the message reaches every household and that everyone takes action. There is nothing insurmountable about accomplishing this task; success depends on human initiative. We must strive to achieve substantial progress within three years, with particularly vigorous action this year. To that end, party committees at all levels, party groups in health departments, trade unions, the Communist Youth League, and the Women’s Federation are required to hold four meetings each year devoted to health work—once per quarter—for three to four hours each time; longer sessions are unnecessary. This schedule is to be maintained annually thereafter. Following these meetings, the Patriotic Health Campaign Committees are likewise to convene four times a year, once per quarter, year after year. All comrades are requested to comply fully and avoid any delays.