BEIJING, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Here are the highlights of China's health news from the past week:

-- China's centralized drug-procurement program provides cheaper medicines

Fifty-five types of medicine listed in China's third-round centralized drug-procurement program have become available in public hospitals across the country at much lower prices, said the National Healthcare Security Administration.

The medicines, with an average price cut of 53 percent, include those widely prescribed for diabetes, high blood pressure, infections and cancers.

China initiated a trial of the centralized drug procurement in 2019. Since then, three rounds of the procurement have covered 112 varieties of medicine, with their average price down 54 percent.

-- Chinese premier stresses prevention, treatment of HIV/AIDS

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has urged unremitting efforts for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS ahead of World AIDS Day, which falls on Tuesday this year.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for improving the system and relevant mechanisms for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, achieving sci-tech breakthroughs in this regard and ensuring the supply of medicines.

-- Chinese vice premier underlines progress in COVID-19 vaccine development

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said China achieved major progress in the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines, with five vaccines having entered phase-III clinical trials.

Fourteen vaccines developed from five technological routes have entered clinical trials, five of which have entered phase-III clinical trials, said Sun, adding that emergency use and preparation for the production of the vaccines are progressing smoothly. Enditem

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