China will launch an epidemic prevention system in schools, after
some problems were highlighted by the severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) outbreak.
Chinese Minister of Education Zhou Ji spoke during an on-line
meeting on Thursday of Chinese teaching staff and educational
administrations.
He
said that during the SARS outbreak, China adopted effective
measures to protect students, with a great contribution by
medicalschools and campus hospitals.
Scientific researchers had also devoted themselves to the anti-SARS
campaign, making a valuable scientific contribution. No large-scale
spread of SARS was found in Chinese schools.
He
emphasized that educational administrations at all levels should
focus on two prominent problems.
The increase of influenza, hepatitis A, and diarrhea in schools had
added to the difficulties of epidemic prevention; and of 24 recent
food poisoning incidents, 23 had occurred in schools.
Zhou required local educational administrations and schools todraft
emergency management plans on epidemic prevention and food
poisoning incidents, set up and promote epidemic and safety
reporting systems, give regular medical examinations to teaching
staff and students, and strengthen supervision and inspection
work.
Local administrations should arrange special funds to renovate
public health facilities for schools in rural areas, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2003)
