Since the implementation of the China Health Assist Poverty Project, a total of 1.34 million people in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality have enjoyed multi-layer medical security policies, according to local officials.

These have initially achieved the goal of basic medical security, according to statistics released by the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission on April 1.

During a period coinciding with novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and control measures, the authorities were also continuing to expand health assistance poverty alleviation, officials from the municipal health committee said.

Officials added that the proportion of hospitalization expenses paid by the poor in the city was 10.13 percent, and the proportion of outpatient expenses they paid for chronic diseases and major diseases was 12.52 percent during the same period -- effectively reducing the medical burden on poor families and preventing poverty caused by disease and their return to poverty due to disease.

Since the implementation of the project, a total of 1.34 million Chongqing citizens have enjoyed multiple medical insurance policies.

By the end of February this year, the city's poverty caused by disease affected 15,140 people of 5,003 households, a decrease of 20,512 households and 80.4 percent less compared with 2018.

In the face of the COVID-19 epidemic, Chongqing has also provided exclusive insurance for the city's poverty-stricken population and issued a subsidy of 100 yuan ($14.15) per person per day for impoverished patients infected with COVID-19.

During the period, Chongqing has also stepped in -- allowing family doctors to conduct follow-ups by telephone, WeChat, mobile app and other ways. It has guided the poor to improve their personal hygiene, family disinfection and provided door-to-door services for people who are not mobile.

For those COVID-19 patients who are discharged from hospital, doctors from the designated hospitals form teams to guide them to observe and record their medical records at home for at least 14 days.

For poverty-stricken people with fever symptoms, family doctors have conducted effective screening initially, then guided them to the designated fever clinics for medical treatment.