Russian and Chinese medics discuss SARS prevention measures

Medical workers of the Chinese Heilongjiang provice and Russian Amur region met in the Chinese city of Heihe, reported consul of the PRC consulate-general in Khabarovsk Xu Zhongxin on Monday.

The participants in the meeting, including representatives of the local bodies of authority discussed the SARS prevention measures to be taken in border districts, expanding cooperation of the sanitary-edidemiological services and power structures of the two countries.

The sides decided to establish a permanent operative exchange of information on this problem. Control over people who cross the border is being toughened, and special health certificates introduced, which citizens of China should have when leaving the country. An isolation ward is being created in Heihe to investigate people, who have high temperature and other symptoms of the disease, on the border.

Xu Zhongxin also pointed out that such SARS prevention measures are being taken now along the entire Russian-Chinese border. In addition, the representative of the consulate-general had a telephone conversation with Chinese deputy health minister Wang Lonhdui who said that the Russian humanitarian goods delivered on Saturday by Il-76 plane - 30 tons of the necessary medicines and equipment for the artificial pulmonary ventilation - will be transferred to the medical establishments of Beijing and Tiangjing.