Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded Sunday
what they called a "free" and "fruitful" six-day inspection of east
China's Anhui Province.
The inspection group, consisting of delegates from the WHO and
Ministry of Health, discovered a "brand-new" and "highly-effective"
network for collecting and processing data on severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) when they were inspecting Hefei,
capital of Anhui.
The network applies the latest geographic information technology
and is based on an electronic map of Hefei. It collects
SARS-related data from its eight districts and three counties,
involving 112 townships and streets, four designated hospitals for
SARS patients, 20 hospitals in charge of fevered patients, and
hundreds of SARS prevention working groups.
The system, by offering intense and accurate information, provides
the government with a new model in dealing with public crises
through application of information technology, said WHO expert Arne
Brantsaether.
The WHO expert said that all the routes and destinations for
inspection were randomly chosen and without pre-notifying the local
government.
The team's sudden appearances might have disturbed the local
government a little, but they were always cooperative, he said.
The group inspected one SARS prevention headquarters, three disease
control centers, two designated hospitals, two township-level
hospitals and two village-level clinics during their tour.
(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2003)