Beijing's fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome (
SARS)
will, in the next step, focus on the treatment, prevention and
control of the disease, said Acting Mayor Wang Qishan Thursday.
At
a meeting with Henk Bekedam, the World Health Organization (WHO)
representative in China, Wang said the fight against SARS has to
date focused on hospitalizing as many patients as possible, adding
that public panic has been effectively reduced through the
measures.
The ratio of hospital beds to patients has greatly improved in
Beijing, Wang said, noting that there will be an additional 2,000
beds designated for SARS patients within the next 10 days.
With the help of the central government, Beijing has not only
guaranteed the supply of materials, stabilized prices and
established a new hospital for SARS treatment, but has also
established criteria for diagnosis and medical staff protection, in
addition to the formation of an epidemiological research group of
substantial scale, Wang said.
The municipal government has also united residents and urged them
to participate in the control of the disease, disseminating SARS
prevention information through various channels, Wang said, adding
that the new SARS hot line, "the 120," is adequate to meet
demands.
Bekedam said that he appreciates Beijing's anti-SARS measures and
suggested that the city improve its capacity to collect, process
and analyze SARS-related information so that WHO experts can offer
more effective assistance.
The WHO is eager to offer assistance in data analysis and other
aspects, he said.
Wang and Bekedam also agreed to have two to three WHO experts work
in the municipal government's special anti-SARS office to help
improve the current mode of information compilation, reporting and
analysis.
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2003)