President Xi Jinping called on the country's medical workers on Tuesday to adhere to a people-first approach and make new contributions to improving people's health.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent greetings across the nation for China's Medical Workers' Day, which is on Wednesday.

Hailing the workers as a vital force to advance healthcare, Xi said that since the COVID-19 outbreak, many medical workers have raced against time and fought tenaciously against the novel coronavirus on the front lines.

They have made significant contributions in fighting the contagion and demonstrated the noble spirit of prioritizing the saving of lives with total devotion and ultimate love, Xi added.

Xi also called on medical workers to uphold medical ethics, strive to excel professionally and contribute to advancing the Healthy China initiative.

Xi urged Party committees and governments at all levels as well as society as a whole to care for medical workers and foster a sound social environment that respects the profession.

China designated Aug 19 as Medical Workers' Day in 2017 to call for respect from society for the country's medical and health workers.

Xinhua contributed to this story.