Since SARS was first reported in the Taiwan
Island on March 15, 2003, the government of the
Peoples Republic of China has paid close attention to
its development. Premier Wen Jiabao has instructed
personally that information exchange on SARS prevention and
control across the Taiwan Strait should be enhanced, and the
Mainland should support and care the health and wellbeing of
the Taiwan compatriots through concrete measures. Though no
such request has been made to Ministry of Health of the
Peoples Republic of China by the Taiwan authorities,
the relevant departments of the Mainland have actively
promoted the exchange of information and experience on SARS
through non-governmental channels, which have achieved
noticeable results.
1. Information
Transfer
In order to provide the Taiwan people
with quick access to the SARS information in the Mainland,
We update the latest epidemic information, case definition,
knowledge of prevention and treatment schemes on a daily
basis on the web sites of the Ministry of Health and the
Chinese CDC. In addition, social and health organizations of
the Mainland also send such information to the relevant
organizations and experts in Taiwan area. The Chinese
Medical Association, the Chinese Association of Preventive
Medicine and the Chinese Association of Hospital Management
have done a great deal of work on this
regard.
2. Exchange of
Experts
Apart from information exchange,
experts from Taiwan are also welcome to the Mainland to work
with their counterparts in combating the disease. During
April 8-14, 2003. Dr. He Meixiang, the representative of the
Taipei Medical Association visited the Mainland, she visited
the Chinese CDC and other medical, public health and
research institutions in Beijing and Guangdong. During the
visits, she had discussions with the experts in the Mainland
and the both sides exchanged experience on the prevention
and control of SARS.
The Mainland has also
organized a SARS expert team to work in Taiwan. If Taiwan
authority or medical society has such requests, the expert
team can go to Taiwan areas immediately to work together
with Taiwan experts.
3. Organizing Cross-Strait
Scientific Meeting
During April 23-24, 2003,
Cross-Strait Seminar on SARS Prevention and
Treatment was jointly sponsored and organized by the
Chinese Medical Association, the Chinese Association of
Preventive Medicine and the Chinese Association of Hospital
Management. A total of forty-five experts in the fields of
preventative medicine, virology, respiratory medicine and
infections medicine from the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and
Macao attended the meeting. Seven experts were from Taiwan.
The delegates reported the situation of SARS in their
respective regions and measures that have been taken.
Topics, such as prevention and control, diagnoses and
treatment, epidemiological and etiological studies, were
discussed in the meeting. Dr. Denk Bekedam, WHO
Representative in China, attended the seminar, and his
deputy gave a presentation on the Global SARS Situation and
Response.
On May 9, 2003, a tele-conference
the Cross-Strait seminar on SARS Prevention and
Control, jointly sponsored by the Chinese Association
of Hospital Management and the Taiwan Medical Alliance
association, was held in Beijing, Guangdong and Taipei,
Leading Experts across the Strait participated in the
meeting and discussed technical details on SARS prevention
and treatment. Among the participants, about twenty were
from Taiwan.
4. Supplying Latest Diagnostic
Reagents
On May 1, 2003, as requested by the
Taiwan Association of Preventative Medicine, the Chinese CDC
donated the self-made SARS diagnostic reagent knits to
Taiwan to be used on a trial basis.
5. Ensuring
timely treatment for Taiwan people in the
Mainland
Since the outbreak of SARS, all
provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the
Mainland have designated hospitals with better medical
service and facilities to treat foreigners and compatriots
from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. The list of these
designated hospitals has been published on Internet to
ensure that Taiwan compatriots in the Mainland can get good
and timely medical services.
Taiwan is part of
China. The both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one
China. The central government, at each and every moment,
pays close attention to SARS development within the Taiwan
Island and the health and wellbeing of the 20 million Taiwan
people. The central government will continue to facilitate
the cooperation and exchange on SARS between the both sides.
We appeal to the medical experts of the both sides across
the Strait to join hands, establish a communication and
exchange mechanism so as to win the war against SARS and
make contributions to the health of the Chinese people.
