A roundtable discussion at the side event during the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Nantong, the birthplace of long-term care insurance in China, was invited to participate in a side event at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 20 local time.

This event attracted 249 representatives from 171 organizations across 39 countries to explore how artificial intelligence can effectively support the development of long-term care systems and tackle the global challenge of an aging population.

During a roundtable discussion at the event, Gu Zhongxian, president of the Nantong Healthcare Security Research Association, highlighted how Nantong utilizes local smart industry advancements to deeply integrate digital technology into the comprehensive management of long-term care insurance.

Gu shared Nantong's experiences, noting that the city uses millimeter-wave radar to collect and analyze data, thereby enhancing oversight of disability assessments and improving evaluation accuracy for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, AI is used to train long-term care nurses, enabling the creation of a standard reference library of practical skills.

Nantong's efforts in advancing digital and intelligent long-term care have garnered significant attention from international representatives. This presentation not only showcased China's progress in merging long-term care insurance systems with AI but also offered a Chinese solution to the global challenge of population aging and the enhancement of long-term care systems.

In 2015, Nantong became the first city in China to establish a long-term care insurance system, which was piloted in urban areas starting Jan 1, 2016. It now covers 7.2 million insured individuals in urban and rural areas. The rapid development of technologies such as AI, big data, and the internet of things during the past decade has provided robust support for improving the quality and efficiency of long-term care insurance.