Q: The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic
in 2003 exposed deficiencies in China's public health system. What
kind of early warning systems and working mechanisms has China
established to prevent new outbreaks of epidemics? Are they
effective in preventing epidemics from spreading and in guarding
against public health emergencies?
A: The SARS epidemic, which broke out in the spring of 2003, has
taught us a good lesson. To a certain extent, it showed China's
deficiencies in its epidemic prevention system.
Because of SARS, governments at all levels have strengthened the
prevention and control of severe contagious diseases in the years
since, and set up contingency offices and unified contingency
command systems that are responsible for public health emergencies.
As well, information networks for monitoring severe, nationwide
contagious epidemics and public health emergencies have been
established. With the information networks connected with the
provincial-level medical institutions in 31 provinces, autonomous
regions and municipalities, 80 percent of medical institutions
above county level, 27 percent of township hospitals, and the
disease prevention and control centers at county or district
levels, China is able to make real-time reports on contagious
epidemics, bringing about dynamic statistics and analysis in the
surveillance of contagious diseases and public health emergencies.
An information system has also been worked out to release
monitoring information about nationwide contagious epidemics
annually, quarterly and monthly.
Meanwhile, the government at all levels has increased financial
support to the construction of infrastructure for disease
prevention and control centers. In recent years, with 2.92 billion
yuan (US$353.08 million) invested from the national purse and 6.4
billion yuan (US$773.88 million) from local governments, a total of
2,443 projects of disease prevention and control centers at
provincial, prefecture and county levels were constructed; the
disease prevention and control centers at provincial and prefecture
levels in the central and western regions were equipped with lab
facilities and epidemic prevention vehicles; and disease prevention
and control institutions above the county level were provided with
equipment for vaccine storage and transportation. These projects
will greatly enhance the nation's capability in preventing and
controlling diseases as well as in dealing with contingent public
health incidents.
In accordance with the occurring and prevailing characteristics
of all kinds of severe contagious diseases, the health departments
at all levels and broad masses of the medical staff have
intensified surveillance and early warnings. Especially for severe
contagious diseases such as AIDS, schistosomiasis, pulmonary
tuberculosis, hepatitis and SARS, the prevention and control work
is carried out in a planned, step-by-step way. China has planned to
spend three years establishing a well-functioning disease
prevention and control system as well as a medical system, which
will cover both urban and rural areas, to improve the country's
capability in dealing with contingent public health incidents such
as severe contagious diseases.