Henan Province is doing an impressive job fighting the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), said World Health Organization (WHO) expert James Maguire on Tuesday.

Maguire and other members of a joint task force of China's Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are due to end their six-day SARS inspection in Henan province soon.

He said the inspectors aimed to learn about Henan's epidemic situation and the ability of the local government to combat the disease.

The great efforts made by medical staff and the local government had deeply impressed the task force, said Maguire.

The well-established search and supervision system had closely tracked patients, playing an important role in the prevention and control of SARS.

He said the province, with a large number of migrant workers in various provinces, has taken effective measures to register and monitor the temperature of its returned migrant workers, which is characteristic of the province's prevention of SARS.

Maguire said during the inspection of communities and villages, the task force found local people were well versed in SARS prevention knowledge.

He also expressed his belief that SARS would be curbed through the continued joint efforts of the local people and the task force.

Maguire suggested Henan invests in its public health system.

The task force began its inspection in Henan, China's most populous province, on May 22.

(Xinhua News Agency May 20, 2003)