BEIJING -- A total of 18 provincial-level regions in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang, have launched the 12356 mental health assistance hotline, aiming to provide the public with more accessible, high-quality mental health services, a Chinese health official said on Thursday.

Other provinces are actively progressing with similar initiatives to ensure comprehensive mental health services coverage nationwide, Hu Qiangqiang, a spokesman for the National Health Commission (NHC), said at a press conference.

Hu noted that the NHC has designated 2025 to 2027 as "pediatrics and mental health service years," and outlined other key measures such as promoting mental health knowledge among key groups and guaranteeing that every city-level region has at least one hospital with specialized psychological and sleep disorder clinics.

During the period, over 5,000 lectures on mental health will be organized nationwide, according to Hu.