China’s health authority said officials plan to conduct random spot checks at medical facilities to track down data that has not been filled in or that has been manipulated, amid a broader call from global authorities for more transparency.
For months, the country has been under pressure from countries and health experts to disclose data on the COVID-19 pandemic and be more willing to share it, especially with regard to official numbers of deaths and acute injuries in hospitals.
World Health Organization advisors recently called on China to publish all information related to the origin of the emerging coronavirus epidemic.
In the new procedures announced by the National Health Committee, regional governments will be charged with daily supervision and sudden inspections that cover a range of aspects, including vaccine management in medical and health institutions, including verifying receipt and storage of new vaccines.
Local governments will also be required to monitor whether reports of virus infection are hidden, delayed or manipulated, as well as strengthen medical waste management and biosecurity management of pathogenic microorganism laboratories.
The committee stated that local governments should initiate financial support to ensure that costs related to random inspections are financed.