Chapter 664

On the afternoon of November 12, Health Commission Director Wang Dong again reported the medical reform plan to Secretary Lu Fan. After repeated consideration and weighing, they discussed for several hours and basically reached an agreement.

Lu Fan showed a relieved smile and said, "You've worked hard during this period. If the plan can be implemented, the grassland people will benefit immeasurably; you are truly the foremost contributor!"

Wang Dong's heart surged with emotion as he said, "I've been struggling in this industry for half my life, having seen much human suffering; inside I am actually tormented! If I can, through my own efforts, improve and upgrade the grassland medical system, then my life will have been worthwhile!"

Secretary, actually there are not a few people who could devise this plan, but hardly anyone dares to truly implement it. I am fully aware of the resistance and difficulties we will face in pushing medical reform. Secretary, your foresight and courage are extraordinary; you are truly the foremost person in grassland medical reform!

Lu Fan smiled and said, "Let's stop sitting here mutually praising each other; let's think about how to solve the 'team' problem. How many usable people does the Health Commission have? And how many 'stumbling blocks'? Make a list, and I'll have the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee handle them together. Before implementing the reform, you must have in your hands a cadre team that obeys commands like fingers to arms; otherwise this tough battle cannot be fought."

Wang Dong felt Secretary Lu's sincerity in solving the problem, and immediately took out a sheet of paper from his briefcase, on which three rows of names were written: the first row were those to be 'taken down', the second row those to be promoted, and the third row those to be drawn from various cities and counties.

Lu Fan carefully looked it over, put the paper in the drawer, and said, "You charge forward on the front lines; I will handle your logistical support. In a couple of days I will go to the Health Commission for research, and I will remove everyone on the list at once! As for internal adjustments, you decide on your own for section-level and below; for section-level and above, you draw up a plan and submit one copy to me and one to the Provincial Organization Department, and I will take care of it. As for transferring personnel from the city and county levels, you submit a request and I will approve! In short, as long as you speak up, I will fully support you, but you must get the job done well."

Such wholehearted support is simply unheard of and unseen! Would Wang Dong dare not to devote himself to death? Even if the road ahead is rugged and thorny, he will absolutely have no hesitation to retreat!

That evening, Lu Fan summoned Du Wenlong and Lin Changping to the Provincial Party Committee, gave them a sheet of paper with eight names—namely two deputy directors and six section chiefs of the Provincial Health Commission—along with some materials, all of which Wang Dong had collected over time.

Lu Fan instructed, "These eight people are the 'stumbling blocks' of grassland medical reform; they are the sort who refuse to repent, and must be removed as quickly as possible. You investigate first, and as soon as you have solid evidence, inform me promptly so we can sweep them all away in one net."

Du Wenlong smiled faintly and said, "Investigating an individual in other fields might require some effort, but in the health system it's as easy as turning over one's hand! Especially the personnel office, where professional title evaluations have become openly priced; I know the price is 50,000, and public resentment has long boiled over, with complaint letters flying everywhere."

Lu Fan emphasized, "You and Wang Dong need to coordinate; this time we must thoroughly cleanse the health system to prepare for the upcoming tough battle. By the way, also pay attention to the Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau and the Provincial Market Supervision Administration, especially their leadership teams—if a department cannot be directed, its head has no reason to exist."

"Okay, Secretary, we will immediately arrange the deployment and certainly not delay matters."

On November 15, Xilingol League Party Secretary Meng Junhao came to the Provincial Organization Department and communicated with Minister Li Yuening about the allocation of Xilingol League's leadership team. However, the result was unsatisfactory: Meng Junhao proposed six candidates, only two were approved by Li Yuening, and the rest were rejected by the Organization Department.

Naturally dissatisfied with this result, Meng Junhao ran to Lu Fan's office to 'air his grievances'.

"Secretary, I didn't want to disturb your work, but the Organization Department is too hard to communicate with, so I can only come to you for help!" Meng Junhao said with a bitter face.

Lu Fan said, "I recall that Xilingol League has vacancies for the league head, organization department head, secretary-general, standing deputy league head, and two deputy league heads. What does Li Yuening say about them?"

"Secretary, the organization department head and secretary-general are fine; Li Yuening agreed to both, but she rejected all the others."

Lu Fan thought for a moment and said, "Go seek instructions from Governor Luo Shiyu, taking the provincial government's opinion as the main basis."

Meng Junhao tentatively asked, "Secretary, should we hand over the entire league government?"

Lu Fan furrowed his brows and said, "Just go when I tell you to; why all this nonsense? Do you think Governor Luo Shiyu is just someone of your stature? When you go to the provincial government, show a more sincere attitude."

"Okay, I'll go right away; I was narrow-minded, Secretary, please criticize and correct me!"

Lu Fan still values Xilingol League highly; this counts as the first 'base' we have secured. The next target is Jiuyuan City; after the case of the former municipal CPPCC chairman was reopened, we made a major breakthrough. Once the evidence chain is further perfected, we can take action against Jiuyuan City!

These past few days, Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau Director Cheng Jingbo has been unable to eat or sleep; he stands at a crucial crossroads in his life, needing to make the most important decision of his life.

Before him lie two paths: one is to continue firmly following Gu Yunhao, without hesitation; even if the road ahead is cliffs and precipices, and he ends up shattered to pieces, he would have no regrets!

The other path is like a wise bird choosing a tree to roost in—following Secretary Lu Fan to pursue reform, which also means betrayal.

In life, the hardest thing is making a choice! A slight misstep can lead to total loss; all previous efforts may go to waste, and one may even end up in disgrace and ruin.

At this moment, Gu Yunhao deep inside is undergoing an unprecedented intense struggle and torment, as if an enormously heavy stone were pressing on his chest, leaving him unable to breathe……

As work was about to end, Meng Junhao came eagerly to Lu Fan's office to report Governor Luo Shiyu's opinion; she only nominated a candidate for the Xilingol League head, and said nothing about the other vacant positions.

This was within Lu Fan's expectations; whoever wants a share of the 'empire' he painstakingly built must see whether they have the ability and qualifications.

Governor Luo Shiyu, as the provincial governor, naturally has that qualification, and she also maintains proper bounds.

As for others, who hope to reap benefits without effort, they are likely to take in but not be able to expel, ultimately ending up with 'indigestion'!

On the afternoon of January 20, Du Wenlong came to Lu Fan's office and reported the investigation results of the eight leading cadres of the Provincial Health Commission; all had serious corruption problems, they abused power, lived off medicine, engaged in power-for-sex transactions, used authority for private gain, exploited their official convenience to benefit others in obtaining professional qualifications, project contracting, etc., and illegally accepted huge sums of money; the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee already had some evidence.

Lu Fan said, "In their case, sentencing them all to prison would not wrong a single person; go through the procedures, file a case for investigation of these eight. In a couple of days I will go to the Health Commission for research, and you will go with me to give the health commission a lecture on integrity, to deter the petty wrongdoers."

"Okay, Secretary, I will start the procedures tomorrow."

On November 22, Deputy Provincial Party Secretary Lu Fan conducted research at the Provincial Health Commission, accompanied by Provincial Party Committee Secretary Wu Xiaohua, Deputy Provincial Governor Zhang Rongqiu, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee Du Wenlong, Director Liu Zan of the Sixth Supervision Room of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee, Director Cheng Jingbo of the Provincial Medical Insurance Bureau, Director Li Zhenquan of the Provincial Market Supervision Administration, and other leaders; Health Commission Director Wang Dong accompanied them throughout.

Lu Fan's entourage went to the construction site of the second phase of the Provincial Medical University Affiliated Hospital project for research, and held a symposium to hear about the project's progress. They also worked on site, studying how to solve the key work and difficult problems in advancing the project.

At the symposium, Lu Fan pointed out that the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attach great importance to the construction of people's livelihood projects; each project unit must truly assume its primary responsibility, closely monitor the milestone targets of project promotion, strengthen construction management, and, while ensuring project quality and construction safety, spare no effort to accelerate construction progress to ensure timely delivery and use.

Lu Fan emphasized that provincial-level relevant departments should guide provincial hospitals and Union Hospital to deepen reform of their management systems and mechanisms, and to magnify the radiation effect of high-quality resources of provincial hospitals. The Medical University should focus on its main responsibilities, comprehensively improve educational standards and talent cultivation quality, promote the construction of 'peak' and 'plateau' disciplines and first-rate undergraduate majors in medical and pharmaceutical fields, accelerate the cultivation of scarce medical professionals, and provide a solid guarantee for the high-quality development of the province's medical undertakings.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the Provincial Health Commission convened a meeting of all its cadres, which the research group attended.

After the meeting began, the chair, Wang Dong, with a solemn expression, said: "Thank you, Secretary Lu, for taking precious time out of your busy schedule to come to the Health Commission for inspection and guidance; this shows the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government's concern and emphasis on grassland health work, as well as their strong support, and is the greatest encouragement and motivation for us 'health workers'; let us give Secretary Lu a warm round of applause to ask him to deliver an important speech!"

Lu Fan cleared his throat, picked up the microphone, and said, "I don't like to beat around the bush; let's get straight to the point. First, we must accelerate the promotion of traditional Chinese medicine inheritance and innovation, actively promote the construction of specialty TCM hospitals, deepen the building of TCM disciplines, and continually improve TCM literacy. You are all experts, so I need not elaborate on the importance of developing TCM. What I want to say is that, starting in 2027, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government will increase investment in TCM, and this intensity will be unprecedented."

Second, we must improve the public health system, strengthen public health infrastructure construction, increase efforts in talent cultivation and recruitment, steadily advance the 'one college student village doctor per village' initiative, quickly make up for public health shortcomings, and provide strong support for the construction of Healthy Cao Yan.

Third, the Health Commission must uphold the Party's overall leadership, strengthen work and political conduct, and build a health and sanitation team that 'comes when summoned, fights when it arrives, and wins when it engages'—this is also the focus of today's meeting; later the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee will announce an important decision!

Hardly had his words fallen when many people in the venue began to feel restless!