President Xi Jinping has called for great attention to the protection and care for medical workers to make sure they are healthy and stay focused on winning the battle against the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction on protecting the medical workers participating in the COVID-19 prevention and control.

Noting that medical workers are the backbone force in defeating the epidemic, Xi stressed providing comprehensive support for them to ensure their strength, morale and energy.

Xi emphasized the need to strengthen efforts to relieve the stress of medical workers, provide them with daily necessities, arrange time for their rest and give them encouragement.

Xi also stressed efforts to ensure that medical teams in Hubei and Wuhan can carry out their work in a safe, orderly, coordinated, effective and swift manner.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the medical workers have worked day and night at the frontline. Some were infected or even sacrificed their lives while saving lives.

Xi has held multiple meetings, delivered important speeches and made instructions to express the CPC Central Committee's care for medical workers battling the epidemic at the frontline, especially in Hubei and Wuhan.

He extended regards to medical personnel during his inspection of the epidemic prevention and control work in Beijing, making arrangements to address their difficulties and problems.

More than 30,000 medical workers, including military medics, have been sent from across the country to Hubei and Wuhan to fight the epidemic.