China's HMPV Outbreak: Viral Video Shows Crowded Hospitals, Patients On IV Drips, But Here's The Truth

(MENAFN- Live Mint) China is making headlines again for yet another virus, this time human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which sparked global fears. Amid reports of a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, China's healthcare system seems to be in turmoil.

Viral videos of overcrowded hospitals are doing the rounds on social media. In these videos children are being administered intravenous (IV) drips as parents anxiously wait for their child's condition to improve. These videos in wide circulation have raised concern worldwide, but it is important to note that the overcrowding in hospitals is not due to the severity of the disease but due to major structural problems in the healthcare system of the country.

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Images suggesting a situation of public alarm have taken the internet by storm. They depict crowded hospital wards, medical staff in protective gear, and long queues of patients.

Let's uncover the truth behind these videos and images

Public health centres (PHCs) in China are unsatisfactory, as stated in the Chinese research in the International Journal of Health Policy and Management. In most countries, people approach PHCs first for medical services before going to hospitals for minor ailments.

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Amid the lack of PHCs, parents flock to hospitals before consulting local general practitioners. During this harsh winter , large hospitals have become crowded and appear overwhelming. This is the time when numerous infections are already circulating and infecting people.

However, although the Chinese government has increased investment in PHC facilities over the past 10 years, the historical practice of visiting hospitals continues to this day. Several published studies suggest that Chinese citizens tend to visit large hospitals and ask for IV drips, even for minor illnesses.

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Due to poor coordination between primary, secondary, and tertiary care, China's healthcare system is“severely fragmented." Thus, patients reach out to tertiary hospitals instead of primary or secondary healthcare centres, which is the reason for the overwhelming hospital scenes.

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