The Australian government Wednesday signed a contract to provide
350,000 Australian dollars (234,500 US dollars) worth of medical
aid via the United Nations Development Program to three
northwestern and central China provinces.
China's prevention and treatment of the severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) had been successful, but, "We can't halt the
fight", said Australian Ambassador to China Alan William Thomas at
the signing ceremony held in Beijing Wednesday.
The aid would help to prevent and control the SARS epidemic, and
other diseases, in the three less-developed provinces of
Gansu,Qinghai and Hunan, the ambassador said at the signing
ceremony.
The flu-like SARS virus had affected more than 8,000 people in 32
countries and regions worldwide and claimed 799 lives, mostly in
China as of Jun. 16, according to a source with the World Health
Organization (WHO).
But the outbreak was nearing an end, a WHO senior official saidlast
Wednesday, acknowledging that the outbreak of SARS was under
control in China.
Ren Minghui, deputy director of the International Cooperation
Department under the Ministry of Health, noted that the aid,
including medical equipment and a training program, was under
preparation and would be distributed in July to the regions and
people in need.
"China's achievements in controling the SARS epidemic cannot
beseparated from the international community's support," Ren
said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2003)
