The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday approved a program to
donate two million US dollars to help combat severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China's western regions.
Under the program, the donated fund will be used to give technical
support to prevent, monitor, manage and ease SARS in the
underdeveloped parts of China's western regions.
The program will be first initiated in the provinces and autonomous
regions of Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang and Yunnan, according to
Christopher Spohr, program officer of ADB.
Priority will be given to the protection of the front-line medical
staff, the poverty-stricken population and other groups ofpeople at
high risk of infecting the disease.
The fund will also be used to enhance the epidemic monitoring
system, invite domestic and foreign experts to offer help in the
diagnosis and treatment of SARS, and promote public awareness of
preventing the disease.
The program is expected to start in late May of 2003 and run
through May next year.
(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2003)
