A task force on the prevention and control of severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Beijing was established Thursday,
sources with the Beijing municipal government said Friday.
Liu Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Partyof
China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing
Municipal Committee of the CPC, is the director of the working
group.
Deputy directors are Beijing Mayor Meng Xuenong, Minister of Health
Zhang Wenkang, and Wang Qian, deputy director of the General
Logistics Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army
(PLA).
Liu Qi said the fight against SARS is the most important task in
the Chinese capital city. He called on Party and government
officials, the people and the military to make all-out and
concerted efforts to contain SARS.
According to Liu, the group will first work to improve information
flow and optimize the allocation of resources.
Meng Xuenong said the official at the city and county levels should
assume overall responsibility for SARS control in their respective
jurisdictions.
(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2003)
