(××× explained that the Chairman’s criticism of the Ministry of Health was spot-on and must be earnestly rectified.)

Chairman: City doctors are not necessarily eager to go to the countryside; they are used to living in urban areas. We should not simply believe what some people say—what matters is action. Fine words do not always translate into good deeds.

How has Beijing Hospital been reformed?

(An account of the current situation at Beijing Hospital was given.)

Chairman: Beijing Hospital has not yet been fully opened up. People like ××× and ×× are still barred from seeking treatment there, while others such as ×× and ×× can access it. What else could this be but a hospital for the aristocracy? It must be opened to the general public. We should not fear offending anyone. Doing so may displease a certain group, but the people will be pleased. Let those individuals remain displeased if they must. In any undertaking, someone is bound to be offended. The key is to ask: Whom are we offending, and whom are we pleasing? As long as the people are happy, that is what matters.

(It was pointed out that reforms at Beijing Hospital and at the central level could set an example for localities.)

Chairman: Not necessarily. Local authorities will find their own ways around it. After all, dust will not vanish on its own unless the broom sweeps it away.

County health centers regard medical teams that turn a profit as good ones, while those that earn little or nothing are considered poor. Is this really what a people’s hospital ought to be?

The value of medical services and pharmaceuticals should not be judged solely by whether they generate profit. Suppose a healthy, able-bodied worker falls ill. If we treat him free of charge, it may appear to be a loss on paper. Yet once he recovers, he can resume agricultural or industrial labor, contributing to society. Is that a loss or a gain? ××× told me that in Tianjin, contraceptive pills are provided free of charge, which seems like a financial loss. However, this policy effectively controls population growth, making it easier to organize various aspects of urban life. So, is it a loss or a gain?

In some hospitals, doctors focus solely on making money. Even patients with minor ailments—or no illness at all—are repeatedly summoned for consultations, purely for profit. Some even resort to deceiving patients with counterfeit drugs. I recall two young men in their late teens who were told, after examination, that they had spinal problems. I advised them not to trust such diagnoses; it was clearly a scam. They were sent to rest for two or three weeks, only to return to work as usual afterward. When unscrupulous hospitals and doctors exploit patients with bogus treatments, wasting their money without curing their conditions, I sometimes think it would be better to simply visit a temple, spend a few copper coins on incense ash, and swallow it—that might be just as effective!

Recently, the Politburo is scheduled to discuss the work of the Ministry of Health. Comrade ×× has already informed me of this; he has held talks with officials from the ministry.

(An explanation was offered that the Ministry of Health is currently deliberating specific measures and would very much like the Chairman to receive a delegation prior to the Politburo meeting, so that he might provide guidance.)

The Chairman expressed his agreement.