Society

Medical help to be available for Expo visitors

By Tang Zhihao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-25 07:46

SHANGHAI: The city is geared up to ensure health care services for the estimated 70 million visitors to the upcoming Shanghai World Expo, though a new outbreak of the H1N1 flu could be a major threat.

Shen Xiaoming, vice mayor of Shanghai, warned yesterday that H1N1 could still be a health challenge at the cultural gala, though flu cases caused by the virus in Shanghai accounted for only 20 percent of all flu cases at the beginning of this year. This is down from 90 percent in the flu's peak period in the second half of 2009.

"A new type of flu always needs two to three years to scale down. Only one year has passed since the first case was reported in Shanghai," Shen said.

"If we have a situation similar to what happened in early 2003 with SARS, no one will come to Shanghai and that will be a disaster," Shen said. The outbreak of SARS in China killed hundreds, leading to a dramatic drop in travel at the time.

Among other measures, local medical organizations are being urged to work hard to keep the flu under control to ensure a successful Expo.

By the end of 2009, Shanghai had reported 3,146 H1N1 cases, including seven deaths. Approximately 3 million got flu vaccinations - including H1N1 vaccine injections - in the last two months of 2009. The vaccinations are ongoing in 2010.

A detailed medical support plan to combat health emergencies at the Shanghai Expo was revealed yesterday.

Medical staff will patrol the 5.28-sq-km Expo garden, where a number of health stations will be scattered. Seven ambulances will be stationed on site to transport people who need medical help to hospitals.

Seven top hospitals in Shanghai will be ready to accept ailing Expo visitors. Inside each hospital, special examination areas are being set up for Expo visitors, who will receive quick care without long waits.

VIPs to the cultural gala will enjoy special services. They are entitled to special medical teams and ambulances that will follow their visiting motorcades in Shanghai.

The city is also expending extra efforts on taking care of people with mental problems, especially those with violent tendencies, for the sake of the Shanghai event, which will run from May 1 to Oct 31.

Shanghai has 180,000 mentally ill people, according to its records. Some 10,000 of them have violent tendencies, which may cause problems during the Expo, Shen said.

"Not all those with serious mental conditions are in hospitals. The hospitals are operating at full capacity and we still have 3,000 to 5,000 mentally ill people cared for at home," he said.

Shen urged all medical departments and organizations to work with communities to reduce the chance of violent attacks caused by people with mental problems.