Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi told a national working conference on public health Tuesday that basic experience must be summed up conscientiously from the battle against SARS and China's public health system has to be improved substantially.

Vice-Premier Wu, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, who heads the national leading group on the anti-SARS drive, said that all-out efforts should be made to extend and carry forward the "anti-SARS spirit, and to work harder still so as to open up a new situation in the pubic health work.

Wu attributed the success of the campaign to the staunch leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, reliance on law, the people, and the use of science, democratic decision-making, transparent policy-making, and international cooperation and exchanges.

The fight against SARS, she noted, also exposed flaws in the country's public health system, lack of awareness about public health emergencies, inadequate disease control systems, laxity of supervision of the implementation of public health laws, and weaknesses in rural public health work.

SARS-control efforts should continue to guard against and prevent a re-occurrence of the disease. She urged medical workers to show the "anti-SARS spirit" to further improve the image of the country's medical sector.

At the meeting, 100 advanced units and 500 outstanding people received "Advanced Unit" and "Advanced Individual" awards for their superb work in fighting the SARS.

(Xinhua News Agency July 30, 2003)