A task force on the prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Beijing was established Thursday, sources with the Beijing municipal government said Friday.
Liu Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Partyof China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, is the director of the working group.
Deputy directors are Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong, Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang, and Wang Qian, deputy director of the General Logistics Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Liu Qi said the fight against SARS is the most important task in the Chinese capital city. He called on Party and government officials, the people and the military to make all-out and concerted efforts to contain SARS.
According to Liu, the group will first work to improve information flow and optimize the allocation of resources.
Meng Xuenong said the official at the city and county levels should assume overall responsibility for SARS control in their respective jurisdictions.
(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2003)
