Chinese health chief Ma Xiaowei steps down after steering nation through pandemic and defending strict zero-Covid
- Ma mobilised thousands of medical staff to help during major outbreaks while arguing in favour of stringent testing, quarantines and lockdowns
- Ma’s deputy, Lei Haichao, appointed NHC’s Communist Party secretary
On Monday, the National Health Commission’s website showed deputy director Lei, 56, had been appointed Communist Party secretary of the NHC – a step before a formal directorship appointment.
Ma’s name was removed from the commission’s leadership page at the same time. In December he will turn 65, the retirement age for ministerial-ranked officials.
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Ma, who became NHC chief in March 2018, implemented President Xi Jinping’s “zero-Covid policy” during the country’s pandemic fight from 2020 to 2023.
“China’s anti-epidemic experience shows that having 1.4 billion people holding the line of defence is the greatest contribution to international anti-pandemic efforts,” Ma said in an interview with official media in December 2021.
He was key to mobilising thousands of Chinese doctors and nurses to help overstretched local medical staff during major outbreaks, including in Wuhan in 2020 and Shanghai in 2022.
Ma’s last public appearance was in March when he attended a video meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation health ministers.
