The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday started a public health and emergency management training program in Shanghai.

Twenty-five Chinese personnel who work in emergency and public health administration from Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing municipalities, Yunnan and Liaoning provinces, are participating in the 11-day program, a local health official said.

WHO experts and officials will teach them how to manage emergency plans in the event of a disaster, and organize rescue workers for public health incidents, epidemiological monitoring and emergency networking, the official said.

The program, co-sponsorsed by China's Health Ministry and WHO, will be held annually for the next three years in China, according to the official.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2006)