A robot dog interacts with an elderly woman through voice function in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Feb 24, 2025. [Photo/VCG]

The average life expectancy of Zhejiang's registered population reached 82.55 years by the end of 2024, according to figures released at a provincial news conference on Nov 20.

The province counted 14.94 million permanent residents aged 60 and above last year, with an aging rate of 22.4 percent — roughly matching the national level due to Zhejiang's net population inflow. Its registered elderly population, however, has exceeded 14.5 million, with an aging rate of 28.3 percent that is expected to reach 32 percent by 2030.

A doctor conducts a free home visit for an elderly resident in Deqing county, Huzhou, on Aug 19, 2024. [Photo/IC]

To address rising demand, Zhejiang has strengthened grassroots medical services in remote mountain and island regions. The province has deployed 508 mobile medical vehicles, achieving full village-level health service coverage.

Over the past five years, Zhejiang has provided free colorectal cancer screening for 11.6 million people and 50 million free health checkups, and administered 12 million free flu vaccines for seniors.

The province has also added 317,000 childcare slots — equal to 4.76 per 1,000 people — and installed 34,000 AEDs in public spaces, averaging 51 units per 100,000 residents in public areas, among the highest levels nationwide.

A volunteer teaches elderly residents how to use a smartphone in Wucheng district, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on Nov 13, 2025. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang has introduced new incentive policies for advanced technologies and added 140 innovative medical procedures, including brain–computer interface–related services, to its pricing catalog. It is the first in the nation to include the "noninvasive brain–computer interface fitting fee", used with intelligent bionic prosthetics, in its medical insurance coverage.