At the opening ceremony on Monday of the 55th session of the
World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western
Pacific, Vice Premier Wu Yi
said that China is willing to strengthen cooperation with other
countries to fight disease.
She stated that although China had successfully contained its
SARS and avian influenza outbreaks in recent years, the region
faces the increasing burden brought by such infectious diseases as
AIDS and tuberculosis as well as a number of chronic diseases.
Control of tuberculosis and hepatitis is not good, said Wu, and
non-communicable illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and
cancer -- often resulting from unhealthy lifestyles -- have become
the main disease burden in China and many other Western Pacific
countries.
"The outbreak of new communicable diseases in this region shows
that one vital way to tackle public health problems is to enhance
international cooperation and communication," Wu said.
WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook agreed, saying, "Unity is
indispensable for effective action, and it requires us to work more
closely than ever before with our partners."
Focusing on the avian influenza outbreak, which has so far
killed at least 28 people in Thailand, Lee said that as long as the
H5N1 virus remains in poultry there remains a risk of more cases in
humans, with a high fatality rate. If it adapts to efficient
human-to-human transmission, Lee warned, it could cause a global
pandemic.
"Our attention and energy must be focused now on every
possibility that might exist in preventing or containing such a
pandemic. The main tasks at present are case detection and control
in animals, surveillance for human cases, vaccine development and
research on how this virus evolves," he said.
With 1.5 million people infected with HIV in the region,
accelerated coverage with preventive action and treatment is
urgently needed, Lee stated. Globally, with all sources combined,
almost US$20 billion have been pledged for integrated AIDS
prevention and care over the next five years.
There are an estimated 840,000 people infected with HIV in
China, including about 80,000 with full-blown AIDS.
Twenty million people in China suffer from diabetes, Lee noted,
and the country's Ministry of Health is working closely with the
WHO to develop a policy framework for responding to the growing
challenge of chronic disease control. Such work will be of great
value to China and many other countries, he said.
Shigeru Omi, director of the Western Pacific Regional Committee,
stated, "China is one of the most vigorous and progressive
countries in the world. Its achievements in the field of health
make a great difference, not just to regional but to global health
as well."
About 300 representatives from 36 Western Pacific countries,
including health ministers and members from intergovernmental and
nongovernmental organizations, are attending the five-day committee
session in Shanghai. China's delegation is headed by Vice Minister
of Health Gao Qiang.
Participants will discuss major health issues, including the
recurrence of SARS, new human deaths from avian influenza, food
safety, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, tobacco control, measles, hepatitis
B and international cooperation in public health emergencies.
With the exception of 1981, China has attended all the sessions
of the regional committee since 1973. Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao
have all hosted previous sessions.
(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency September 14,
2004)