Recently in China, various viruses have been spreading, causing overcrowding in top-tier hospitals across the country. At the same time as medical resources are strained, a large number of medium and small-sized hospitals have been bankrupt and closed over the past year, including public hospitals, drawing attention to the situation.
By the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, influenza viruses, parainfluenza viruses, and adenoviruses were all spreading simultaneously in China, leading to overcrowded conditions in many top-tier hospitals where outpatient and emergency visits significantly increased.
As 2025 began, the news of “flu overcrowding top-tier hospitals” trended on Baidu’s hot search list. Various social media platforms in China were filled with news about the spread of respiratory viruses in different regions, with people uploading short videos of long queues of patients waiting for treatment at hospitals, describing the scene as reminiscent of “spring migration.” However, official media outlets provided scarce coverage of the situation.
According to Zhang Ye, director of the infectious diseases department at a top-tier hospital in central China, as of January 3, compared to the beginning of December 2024, outpatient visits had nearly doubled by mid-December and were now up to five times higher.
The National Health Commission’s report on the monitoring of acute respiratory infectious diseases in the 52nd week of 2024 showed a rapid increase in various respiratory infectious diseases, including influenza A virus, parainfluenza virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the novel coronavirus, spreading rapidly in China.
Many netizens questioned whether the so-called flu-like illnesses or a variant of the novel coronavirus were at play. Some expressed that this flu outbreak seemed more severe than COVID-19, with comparisons suggesting it was ten times worse.
Dr. Lin Xiaoxu, a virology expert from the United States, stated on a health program on January 4 that the novel coronavirus has not completely disappeared and is still circulating. Due to the opaque information in China, it’s difficult for outsiders to know the full extent of the situation. There may be more severe conditions that the Chinese government hasn’t disclosed.
Amid the prevalence of various viruses and the possibility of unknown pathogens, China’s healthcare resources are under strain. Despite the closure of many hospitals, the challenges continue.
According to a report on the 6th of January by “Sanlian Life Weekly,” records from the National Enterprise Bankruptcy and Reorganization Information website show more than 1200 cases related to hospital bankruptcies in 2024. This sharp increase in hospital bankruptcies can be contrasted with 800 and 500 cases in 2023 and 2022, respectively. The closure of hospitals in 2024 primarily affected small and medium-sized private hospitals, with some public hospitals also shutting down.
A report from last year by “Medical Eye Observation” quoted Yu Xiaobao, vice chairman of the Hospital Management Branch of the China Hospital Association, revealing that over 2000 private hospitals had gone bankrupt due to operational difficulties since the outbreak of the pandemic. This number continues to rise.
Official figures from the Chinese government indicate a stable loss rate of around 45% for both public and private hospitals nationwide. In 2024 alone, over 500 hospitals closed, with the majority being small and medium-sized private hospitals.
Public hospitals are also facing challenges, contrary to expectations of stability. Reports of salary arrears have been surfacing across multiple regions in recent years. For example, after 10 months of salary arrears, the Jia Ying College Medical College Affiliated Hospital in Meizhou announced its closure in October 2024 due to financial difficulties.
The financial situation of the Meijiang District government, where the Jia Ying hospital was located, was also bleak. Public hospitals like the People’s Hospital of Shanwei City in Guangdong and the Fourth People’s Hospital of Xinxiang in Henan faced similar issues, leading healthcare workers to demand overdue wages collectively.
The closures of numerous hospitals in China cannot solely be attributed to financial strain or local fiscal difficulties. Blogger “Lao Ji Financial Economics” analyzed that hospitals’ revenue comprises government subsidies and regular income from treatments and pharmaceuticals. However, with an aging society and strained public finances, healthcare institutions struggle to cover costs, leading to closures.
Forecasts for 2025 suggest a wave of salary cuts and layoffs in hospitals. Renowned medical blogger “Morning Scholar Medical Talk” predicted a widespread trend of downsizing and salary reductions in Chinese hospitals, attributing the situation to unsustainable expansion and operational issues.
In response to the wave of hospital bankruptcies, Dr. Lin Xiaoxu stated in an interview with Radio Free Asia that the Chinese government’s depletion of health insurance funds in recent years has directly contributed to the crisis. This premature depletion has left many private hospitals unpaid, leading to their closure, while public hospitals find temporary solutions.
Healthcare costs in China, alongside education and housing expenses, consume a significant portion of ordinary people’s income, causing increased financial pressure. Notably, healthcare expenses remain a bottomless pit despite the massive spending.
Dr. Li Ling, a prominent medical scholar in Beijing, revealed that despite hefty medical expenditures, the actual burden on Chinese citizens for healthcare costs stands at about 50% of total expenses. In contrast, Western countries with universal healthcare systems typically have the state cover over 90% of medical costs. China, with the resources to implement universal healthcare, has yet to do so.
The chaotic state of China’s healthcare system stems from inadequate government investment, with hospitals mainly driven by profits rather than public service. This profit-oriented approach has led to corruption and unethical practices among hospital management, with cases of exorbitant equipment prices and kickbacks being commonplace.
Drastic measures against corruption in the healthcare sector have been implemented since 2023 in China, confiscating ill-gotten gains from officials. Over 320 medical and health system officials were investigated in 2024, including over 160 hospital directors or secretaries. Cases like the High-Zhou People’s Hospital director Wang Maosheng receiving over 200 million yuan in kickbacks expose the extent of corruption.
In contrast, Taiwan implemented a successful universal healthcare system designed with the help of Dr. Xiao Qinglun, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, in 1995. However, Dr. Xiao believes replicating this model in mainland China under Communist rule is unlikely due to insufficient government emphasis on healthcare, unequal resource distribution, and widespread corruption.
In conclusion, China’s healthcare system faces challenges from financial strain, corruption, and inefficiency. The urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure equitable and affordable healthcare for all remains a pressing issue.