The United Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF) donated 15
surveillance vehicles Monday to China for the fight against severe
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
The vehicles will be used to investigate suspected SARS cases and
follow up on people who had contacts with SARS patients in Shanxi
Province and the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, two of China's
hardest-hit regions.
SARS prevention is especially severe in China's countryside with
the wide distances and poor transportation and communication
conditions.
"The surveillance vehicles will enable the critically
importantactivity of controlling the spread of this disease," said
Christian Voumard, UNICEF's representative in China, at the
donation ceremony Monday.
Voumard commended the Chinese government for its wholehearted
efforts in tackling SARS in Beijing and in all the other affected
regions.
Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce An Min said at the donation
ceremony that at the critical moment in the SARS fight, many
international organizations and nations gave China financial and
moral support.
The Chinese people are very grateful for the selfless support from
the international community, An said.
In
order to better support China in the fight against SARS, UNICEF
also organized many activities to spread hygiene knowledge
including the importance of proper washing, the spread of disease
through spitting and the danger of smoking.
(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2003)
