Shanghai authorities are encouraging private investments to establish local medical institutes, in a bid to further improve the city's healthcare services.

Investments are extremely welcomed in the fields of elderly medical care, rehabilitation, mental health, pediatrics and obstetrics.

The Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau launched a package of policies to encourage overseas investment into the local healthcare market this week.

Overseas investments are also encouraged to establish joint ventures with local hospitals and clinics. The limitation on private investments will be gradually eliminated, officials said.

Shanghai has 1,379 private medical institutions, including 169 hospitals, 1,201 outpatient clinics, and nine clinical testing centers. Twenty of those are joint venture hospitals and clinics.