Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) have spoken highly of China's health care workers for their efforts against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in north China's Hebei Province.
At a meeting with provincial officials at the end of their five-day inspection, WHO expert James Maguire said the health care workers are working hard and have done "successful" work against SARS.
"Their dedication and diligence were admirable," he said.
Maguire, along with another four WHO experts, concluded their inspection of the province's SARS prevention work and returned to Beijing Tuesday.
The WHO experts visited local epidemic prevention stations, hospitals and village clinics during their tour.
The province has a highly dense population of over 67 million, but "we found local people are very knowledgeable about SARS," said Maguire, attributing that to the efforts of health care workers to educate the public.
"We've seen so many hard working medical workers," Maguire said. "But the health care workers like those in the local epidemic prevention centers are also worthy of praise."
With the efforts of the public health care workers, the province has set up a "well organized" surveillance system but training of its medical workers at the grassroots level should be further strengthened, said another WHO expert Alan Schnur.
(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2003)
