-- Beijing has elaborated a risk identification and management system to deal with any major public health emergency during the 2008 Olympic Games, an official said Wednesday.
The system includes measures to deal with epidemic1 diseases and infectious micro-organisms, and to ensure food and drinking water safety. Prevention and control mechanisms3 have been set up, which has laid a sound foundation for the safety of the Olympics, Municipal Health Bureau director Jin Dapeng told a press conference at the Beijing Olympic Media Center.
On the basis of a careful and intensive research which incorporated the experience of other Olympic host cities, Beijing has drafted the city operation outlines for the 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Jin said. The project covers the formation of the public health system, early warning of public health emergencies, emergency treatment measures, skill training of medical staff and public health information.
He said the outlines were approved by the municipal government in November 2006 and have been under implementation4 since the fourth quarter of last year. As far as disease prevention and control is concerned, a collective mechanism2 has been set up, involving many areas and industries, he added.
He said Beijing has a medical contingent5 of 160,000, who are the most skillful nationwide. They are united in front of public health emergencies and ready to put the interests of the nation and the people above all.
The city has gained a lot of experience in the area of public health from the major events hosted in the past, such as the Sino-African Summit in 2006, which saw the attendance of more than 40 heads of states and governments, he said
To ensure food safety, the city has defined four safety grades for all restaurants, with the bottom two grade restaurants being requested to improve their conditions, he added.
