Prevention-Treatment Integration: Healthier People and a Stronger Economy

Executive Summary

Health is essential for promoting the comprehensive development of individuals and the foundation for economic and social progress. China has made notable strides in infectious disease prevention, achieving high coverage through its national immunisation programme for children. Yet, immunisation alone is insufficient to fully contain infectious diseases, which continue to threaten socio-economic development. With an ageing population, strengthening prevention has become a pressing priority. As part of the Healthy China strategy, “Prevention-Treatment Integration (PTI)” reforms that promote synergy between healthcare and disease control institutions—through vaccination, early diagnosis, and early treatment—safeguard public health, boost productivity, reduce healthcare burden, and drive long-term economic growth.

From both healthcare and economic perspectives, increasing adult vaccination rates among high-risk populations is an urgent priority. Vaccines for diseases such as shingles, influenza, and RSV are vital for older adults who face greater risks due to weakened immune systems and chronic conditions. In China, the economic burden of hospitalisation costs for older adults with RSV reached an estimated US$1.88 billion in 2023. Evidence from adult vaccination programmes across ten countries shows that prevention pays off—returning up to 19 times the initial investment through benefits to individuals, healthcare systems, and society.

On the other hand, China faces a significant challenge with 75 million people chronically infected with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 30 million unaware of their condition. The economic and healthcare burden of disease progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer highlights the urgency of enhancing HBV management. Despite progress through low-cost antivirals, paediatric vaccination, and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission—reaching 99% newborn vaccination coverage by 2012—China remains far from meeting the WHO’s 2030 milestone of a 90% diagnosis rate and 80% treatment rate. With less than five years to go, further innovation is urgently needed.

A functional cure for HBV, now in late-stage development, marks a potential treatment paradigm shift. Unlike lifelong antivirals, it uses a six-month treatment regimen to restore immune response and maintain long-term viral suppression. This innovation could boost screening and treatment uptake and enhance patient dignity and productivity. By complementing existing antiviral therapies, functional cure could drive progress towards the 2030 milestones.

This paper focuses on PTI in adult vaccination and HBV management, offering the following recommendations based on international experience and China’s specific context to foster coordinated collaboration between prevention and treatment. It is important to bear in mind that this integrated approach is critical for controlling all infectious diseases and has broader applications for managing others, such as HIV and tuberculosis.

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