BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) - China's priority in the public health sector will shift from prevention and control of communicable diseases to treating chronic diseases during the next five years.

Li Bin, an official with the Ministry of Health, made the statement during a regular press conference at the ministry on Friday.

Li said China had given priority to controlling communicable diseases during the 11th five year program (2006-2010), and the health authority will now focus on chronic diseases during the 12th five year program (2011-2015).

According to statistics from the ministry, cardio-cerebral vascular disease has become the major threat to the health of the Chinese public. The incidence rate of chronic diseases in China has reached 20 percent, which meant 260 million people have been diagnosed as suffering from chronic diseases.

It was also reported during the press conference that China had retrofitted toilets in 7.83 million rural households into more hygienic facilities as of the end of November this year.