Barefoot Doctors

  • The Beginning of Change

    The Beginning of Change

    Mao Zedong criticized the urban bias of medical services and talked about the stress placed on the rural areas.
  • The Rise

    The Rise

    The idea of barefoot doctors were to be healthcare providers who underwent basic medical training and worked in rural villages in China. In 1968 this program became integrated into national policy. Which worked to include community participation with the rural area of health services.
  • The Influence

    The Influence

    Developing countries and World Health Organization leaders began to consider China's program.
  • The Fall

    The Fall

    The government provided less financial support for the program and the emerging free market system began forcing farmers to pay for their health care.