Chinese President Hu Jintao has asked governments at different levels to endeavor to ensure all urban and rural residents to be covered by basic health care service, a key livelihood issue in the country.

Hu, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the call at a group study of the members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Friday afternoon, said a statement issued on Saturday.

The political bureau members held discussions with two research fellows - Rao Keqin from the Ministry of Health and Ge Yanfeng from the State Council's Development Research Center - who made speeches on the issues of China's heath care reform and global health care development.

Hu said the reform must realize the goal of basic health care for everyone and it was a major task to speed up the building of a basic health care system that covers both rural and urban residents.

China launched its massive health care reform last year, which seeks to provide adequate and affordable health care services to all. The State Council, or Cabinet, issued a circular last month detailing specific goals and steps for future reforms.

Hu pledged more government involvement in and funding for health care services, which he said must be public-oriented.

He said ensuring people's rights to health must be a top priority for governments and CPC committees of all levels and urged them to resolutely work to achieve the reform's success.

In his speech, Hu also called for more efforts to establish a national system of essential medicines, enhance health care service at grassroots level, and advance the pilot reform of state-owned hospitals.