Governing Health in Contemporary China [Hardcover]

The lack of significant improvement in peoples health status and other mounting health challenges in China raise a puzzling question about the countrys internal transition: why did the reform-induced dynamics produce an economic miracle, but fail to reproduce the success Mao had achieved in the health sector? This book examines the political and policy dynamics of health governance in post-Mao China. It explores the political-institutional roots of the public health and health care challenges and the evolution of the leaders policy response in contemporary China. It argues that reform-induced institutional dynamics, when interacting with Maoist health policy structure in an authoritarian setting, have not only contributed to the rising health challenges in contemporary China, but also shaped the patterns and outcomes of Chinas health system transition. The study of Chinas health governance will further our understanding of the evolving political system in China and the complexities of Chinas rise. As the world economy and international security are increasingly vulnerable to major disease outbreaks in China, it also sheds critical light on Chinas role in global health governance.

1. Introduction.  2. Health Governance under Mao (1949-1976)  3. Providing Care for all: Health Care Reforms in Post-Mao China  4. Harnessing the Fourth Horseman: Capacity Building in Disease Control and Prevention  5. Building Ship at Sea: Food and Drug Safety Regulation  6. Conclusions and Implications 

'Yanzhong Huang's book reflects a deep knowledge of Western theories as well as of Chinese political processes. On the basis of a decade of research, he traces the changes taking places in China in the politics of health policy as 'buck-passing' replaces 'bandwagoning'.'- Ezra F. Vogel, Harvard University, USA and author of Deng Xiaoping and the Transfl3ë