Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi was removed from her concurrent post of Health Minister, replaced by the current Executive Vice Health Minister Gao Qiang, according to a decision approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), or Chinese top legislature.

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi was appointed as Health Minister on April 26 of 2003 as an effort to contain the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic. The State Council appointed Gao Qiang as Executive Vice Minister of Health on May 6 of 2003.