Chapter 682: with translation of chapter title

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, Lu Fan returned to the grasslands.

It just so happened that Governor Luo Shiyu was on duty today; Lu Fan invited her to his office for a frank discussion of provincial medical reform.

When Luo Shiyu entered, Lu Fan had already brewed tea and was waiting on the sofa.

Luo Shiyu said enthusiastically: "Secretary Lu, Happy New Year! After resting for a few days, I feel completely refreshed—Comrade Zimeng deserves all the credit!"

Lu Fan replied with a smile: "Please sit, Governor Shiyu. This is top-grade Anxi white tea, specially brought from Secretary Hong Tao—just this small box!"

Luo Shiyu said delightedly: "I'm in for a treat—I must savor it properly!"

After speaking, she picked up the teacup—three dragons guarding the cauldron, elegant and graceful—took a light sip and said: "Tea enters life; its fragrance fills the air, its depths myriad; drinking brings bitterness, astringency, and sweetness. This is truly fine tea, worthy of careful tasting. If you have any orders, just speak; otherwise you'd waste this pot of good tea."

Lu Fan smiled slightly and said: "In the new year we need a new atmosphere. I have an idea to discuss with you—I plan to carry out a major reform of the province's medical system, learning from Secretary Hong Tao's successful experience in Nanling and Nan Zhao, then combining it with our grasslands' actual conditions, so that the grasslands achieve true medical care for the sick and protection for treatment, drive medical costs down completely, and add to the happiness of the grassland people."

Luo Shiyu replied with a smile: "Hearing you say that, the movement will definitely not be small; the required funds are estimated to be enormous. I worry whether the provincial finances can bear this pressure."

Lu Fan said: "I won't let you bear this pressure alone—everyone privately calls me a 'miser'? The integrity account now holds nearly 4 billion; all of it will go to medical reform, and you just need to back us up. Moreover, before launching the reform, the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee will conduct a thorough anti‑corruption campaign in the medical field, which should fill this 'gap.' We must make those corrupt elements 'spit out' the people's fat and oil they've swallowed, to ensure the smooth progress of medical reform."

Luo Shiyu sighed: "Medical corruption is shocking! Hospital leaders are corrupt, bringing disaster to the country and harming the people! This indeed needs thorough governance! The existence of corruption not only damages the medical industry's reputation but also worsens the people's difficulty and expense in seeing doctors. As a grasslander, I will naturally give full support to medical reform."

You're right—the serious consequences of corruption mainly appear in two aspects: first, rising medical costs cause the people to bear a heavy medical burden; hospitals raise prices to cover reimbursement scope, so the people's medical expenses do not decrease. Second, hospitals treat medical care as a business, and the rational allocation of medical resources is not controlled. This makes it hard for ordinary people to obtain the medical resources they deserve, and the quality and fairness of medical services face serious threats. Therefore, a comprehensive anti‑corruption effort is urgent and indispensable.

Luo Shiyu asked: "You've got to give me the lowdown—just how big is the reform's intensity?"

Lu Fan said solemnly: "Currently, our province faces, due to population aging and increased coverage depth, medical insurance expenditure growth persistently outpacing income growth; reform requires ruthless effort, to deliver a 'grasslands‑style' answer with greater courage and wisdom."

This year the Social Science Academy released the 'Medical Reform Blue Book' statistics showing: the share of personal health expenditure in total health spending is falling, yet personal spending has risen about 60%; last year already faced a situation of expenditures exceeding revenues, and this year the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme's cumulative surplus will be negative, with expenditures exceeding funding by 15%. From this set of data we can plainly see: the more the government invests, the more expensive medical care becomes for the ordinary people! Where exactly does the money go? You and I both know!

Public hospitals' drug prices are inflated tenfold, over ten times, even dozens of times; taking drug kickbacks has almost become an open rule. Especially for some late‑stage cancer patients, because relatives are eager for treatment, some medical staff seize this point to prescribe irrational drugs, with prices that can be called 'astronomical'; public hospitals have already developed abnormally.

Moreover, kickbacks stimulate doctors' medical ethics to decline; the kickback rule leads some doctors to choose not the optimal treatment for patients but the expensive one—for example, antibiotic use, which, although effective quickly, has clearly negative effects on the human immune system.

Furthermore, we are not only a populous nation but also a major consumer of intravenous drips, with per capita usage reaching eight bottles—three times the world average. Our country's per‑annual antibiotic consumption averages about 138 grams, ten times that of Europe and America, and each year about 200,000 people die from antibiotic abuse—shocking indeed!

What is most hateful is that the procurement process for medicines and equipment has practically formed a tight‑knit corruption industry chain. Using current anti‑corruption buzzwords, this is a 'collapsed‑style' corruption. The number of departments and personnel involved is simply staggering—from division‑level leaders and provincial bureaus down to bureau chiefs and hospital directors, and at the grassroots level there are drug‑and‑equipment section chiefs, finance section chiefs, purchasers, and medical staff; the sheer scale is astounding. If not dealt with, serious problems will arise.

Upon hearing these words, Luo Shiyu was deeply moved yet also felt a hint of worry, saying: "Secretary Lu, if we undertake this 'major surgery,' resistance will be enormous—not only from the vast medical staff but also from the provincial government and a large part of municipalities and counties, after all that interest chain has existed for years; pull one hair and the whole body moves."

Upon hearing Luo Shiyu's worry, Lu Fan replied with extraordinary firmness: "Then we'll clear the 'road‑blocking stones' hindering development and kick those 'tripping stones' aside! No matter how high‑ranking they are, if they dare to jump out, we'll catch one for each, ten thousand for ten thousand! Our country now lacks nothing except talent—especially official talent—so we can replace them with fresh blood and also solve some employment issues."

Having sensed Lu Fan's great determination, Luo Shiyu pondered a moment, then raised her head and said: "Secretary Lu, let me state my position: I hope we can think with one heart, exert effort in one direction, and twist into a single rope, resolutely win this medical‑reform tough battle, and wholeheartedly safeguard the grassland people's sense of gain, happiness, and security."

Lu Fan stood up, reached out his right hand, and spoke with feeling: "Thank you, Governor Shiyu, for your noble integrity and full support! I firmly believe that, under our joint efforts, the grasslands will surely be clear and upright, with calm seas and clear rivers!" His tall figure stood as steady as a mountain, his gaze firm and deep, as if able to pierce every obstacle before him.

Before his words faded, Luo Shiyu suddenly rose and said: "For a better tomorrow for the grasslands, for greater happiness of its people, we bear an inescapable responsibility!" Her posture was straight as a pine, her bearing elegant as an orchid, and her eyes likewise flashed with resolute light.

Their two firm hands clasped tightly together, feeling the warmth and strength transmitted from each other's palms like a rushing torrent, igniting in their hearts an endless fighting spirit.

At four in the afternoon, Du Wenlong returned to the grasslands and reported to Lu Fan's office.

Lu Fan also summoned Secretary‑General Wu Xiaohua and Deputy Provincial Governor Zhang Rongqiu; the four discussed medical anti‑corruption and reform work in detail until late at night.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the first day after the Spring Festival holiday ended, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government convened a large‑scale, high‑standard meeting aimed at beating the drum of advance, sounding the charge, mobilizing the whole province to dare to be first, to strive forward, to condense the mighty force of pragmatic pioneering, and to vigorously promote high‑quality development.

In terms of importance, the 'New Year's First Meeting' often serves as a 'wind‑vane'; it is not only a work mobilization order but also the charge of the new year's economic development, sounding the assembly call for the grasslands' strenuous push for high‑quality development, proclaiming the grasslands' firm resolve that 'the opening is the battle, the start is the sprint.'

This was also Lu Fan's first attendance at the grasslands' opening‑of‑the‑year first meeting, which attracted high attention and broad concern from provincial leaders and cadres, all eager to hear what Secretary Lu would say.

This year's meeting theme was 'Daring to Assume Responsibility and Ensuring Implementation'; Lu Fan put forward meticulous work demands for cadres at all levels, even probing into work details, methods, and ways, almost to the point of hand‑holding instruction.

Lu Fan spoke at the meeting: 'Comrades, we must know shame before we can be brave! We must fully realize that the grasslands have fallen behind completely; for this, the Provincial Party Committee directly removed the director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission. I hereby warn everyone: the attitude of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government is crystal clear—if you don't change your thinking, you'll be replaced; if you don't take responsibility, you'll be held accountable; if you don't shoulder duty, you'll be reassigned; if you don't act, you'll be dismissed!'

The Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government have formulated the '45 Measures to Support the Real Economy', the '40 Measures to Expand Domestic Demand, Compensate for Shortcomings, and Promote Development', the '35 Measures to Support Private Enterprises', etc., and have planned the 'Ten Major Actions' to optimize the business environment; the scale is certainly not small. But how to further turn plans on paper into reality, to earnestly push work deeper, finer, and more substantive, depends on everyone's execution ability.

Scanning the venue, glancing a few times at the presidium, Lu Fan bluntly criticized: 'Some comrades, when tackling work, always stress lack of people, money, or resources; if all conditions were met, what would there be left for leaders and cadres to do?'

At present, Grasslands Province is at the critical stage of climbing slopes and overcoming obstacles, of rolling stones uphill, and needs even more an indomitable fighting spirit and abundant tenacious will. As a leading cadre, when your assigned work is not implemented or poorly implemented, you must certainly reflect on your state and ask yourself four 'whys': first, do you have the pursuit of excellence? second, do you have the courage to take on difficulties? third, do you have the perseverance to see things through to the end? fourth, do you have the persistence to keep at it without letting up?

If you cannot meet these, you'd better go home and hug your child—don't hinder the grasslands' development! As for those who merely make up numbers, the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee and the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department will this year devote great effort to govern them: discover one case, handle one case, remove them from office on the spot, with no leniency!