China is strengthening its efforts to ensure safety of drugs donated by domestic companies to victims of Monday's 7.8-magnitude quake centered in Sichuan Province, the country's drug watchdog said in Beijing on Friday.

"We cannot let substandard drugs add to the suffering of victims in Sichuan's major quake," said Yan Jiangying, spokeswoman with the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), in an interview with Xinhua.

Manufacturers which donate fake or substandard drugs and medical equipment to quake-hit areas would be dealt with severely according to laws, Yan said.

According to Yan, transfusion equipment, blood pressure increasing drugs, antibiotics, plasma, and narcotics for surgical use are currently most needed by quake-hit areas.

So far, 170 million yuan worth of medicines and medical equipment have been donated by drug manufacturers under coordination of the SFDA, according to Yan.

Yan said the SFDA has dispatched supervisors to manufacturers of most-needed drugs, and have urged local drug safety authorities in Sichuan to enhance inspection of drugs and medical equipment.

"Many of the SFDA employees have cancel their original holiday plans, and were put on 24-hour duty for the past few days to ensure sufficient supplies and the safety of drugs sent to the quake areas," Yan said.

Yan also urged local health and drug safety authorities to pay special attention to the safety of drinking water and the prevention of plague in quake-hit areas.

The SFDA ordered on Tuesday the establishment of a daily report system to ensure food and drug safety in earthquake-hit areas of Sichuan, Chongqing, Gansu, Shaanxi and Yunnan.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2008)