The average life expectancy of Shenzhen residents reached 83.73 years in 2021, according to a white paper released by the Healthy Shenzhen Initiative Promotion Committee Office on Thursday.
The white paper gives a systematic introduction to primary health issues Shenzhen residents face, the state of the city’s health resources and the development of Healthy Shenzhen Initiative.
Shenzhen’s infant mortality rate dropped from 1.14 to 1.06 deaths per 1,000 live births from 2020 to 2021, while maternal mortality rate decreased from 4.79 to 1.91 per 100,000 births, as per the white paper.
In 2021, among Shenzhen residents, the overweight rate of men in all age groups from 35 to 39 years old exceeded 40%, while the overweight rate of women in all age groups from 45 to 49 years old approached or exceeded 40%.
Heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and cancer continued to be the leading causes of death among Shenzhen residents.
The most common cancers for the whole Shenzhen population were thyroid, lung and bronchial, colorectal and anal cancers. Lung and bronchial cancer were most prevalent in men, while thyroid cancer was most common in women.
It was also revealed that eight in every 10 senior citizens in Shenzhen suffered from chronic diseases. The most common were hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol, kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, stroke, malignant tumor, stomach disease and chronic lung disease.
In 2021, Shenzhen opened two new high-level hospitals, bringing the total number to seven. There were also 91 new community health institutions and nearly 200 new fitness venues put into service.
In 2021, Shenzhen spent 51.5 billion yuan (US$7.64 billion) on medical services, up by 15.9% year on year. Health expenses accounted for 11.7% of local fiscal expenditure, up 0.64 percentage points over the previous year, official data showed.
In addition to the white paper’s release, the city’s health authorities also launched the annual Shenzhen health month Thursday.
This year’s Shenzhen health month features nearly 300 public activities while ensuring safety amid COVID-19 prevention and control. Meanwhile, public health facilities across the city will open to the public to experience.
The city’s health regulation has designated August as health month to raise awareness about improving physical fitness and sustaining a healthy lifestyle. It is a people-centered event that is crucial to developing a “Shenzhen model” for the Healthy China Initiative.