Healthy Beijing, healthy Olympic
By Lei Xiaoxun (Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-03-15 10:43
Jin Dapeng, Director of Beijing Municipal Health Bureau.[BOCOG]
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2007 will be the year when 'Healthy Beijing, Healthy Olympic' becomes new catchphrase all around the city, said Jin Dapeng, Director of Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, on March 14 at a regular press conference at the Beijing Olympic Media Center.
Beijing is trying to demonstrate its full-fledgling public hygiene service capabilities to the whole world before the 29th Olympiad, said Jin, "our confidence is so strong that Beijing will provide its citizens and foreign visitors with state-of-the-art public health and hygiene facilities, as well as world-class disease prevention and control system."
Four Es guarantees Jin's remarks a real success.
The first E is the explicit guiding principles and chronological targets. Jin explained Beijing municipal government formally enacted Beijing Olympic public health security program early as in July, 2005. In the aftermath, Beijing municipal operation compendium of 2008 Olympics and Paralympics was ratified, which outlines development plan of Beijing municipal public health security mechanism, and the early warning surveillance system of public health contingencies.
The second E is the experienced medical teams. Besides 21 computer network reporting systems of major diseases, 171 Beijing medical institutes already have epidemic surveillance and reporting system in place. "Our medical teams gained invaluable firsthand experiences in countering back SARS," said Jin. Beijing has successfully organized international and domestic forums and workshops concerning Olympic public health and hygiene mechanism, and a number of medical staff were sent to previous Olympic host cities including US, Australia, Greece, etc. "They are expected to bring home advanced expertise of public health emergency management and techniques in organizing international sporting events."
The third E is the elite medical staff. Beijing has more than 160,000 medical staff, they are highly capable of handling pandemic diseases which are enlisted as the No.1 latent threat to Beijing Olympics. "I can say", Jin explained, "our medical professionals are among the best nationwide. In face of the huge influx of visitors in 2008, they are confident to address all possible public health emergences."
The fourth E is the entire participation of the whole society., which is the most decisive prerequisite for any successful international event, to elaborate on that goal, according to Jin. A number of specific projects and campaigns in the run-up-to Beijing Olympics have already been introduced. 2007 will be a year of paramount strategic importance, the 'Healthy Beijing, Healthy Olympic' campaign will be commenced soon. Food safety and clean water supply are among the top concerns of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau's annual work schedule. "A smoke-free Olympic will also be our prioritized pursuit" Jin concluded.
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