An ounce of prevention worth pound of cure
Xiao Ming  Updated: 2004-04-17 08:33

Deputy director of the China Meteorological Administration Xu Xiaofeng said Thursday that there will be two major rain-belts, one in northern China and one in the south, affecting the flood season from June to August this year, but that many other regions may suffer drought at the same time.

He also called for attention to flood-control and drought-prevention, saying an abnormal climate situation may exacerbate conditions.

It is important to watch the forecasts and take precautions against possible damage. Prevention is always better than cure.

One of the world's countries most severely affected by meteorological disasters, especially floods and drought, China has seen soaring numbers of extreme-weather days and water shortages since the early 1990s, all of which have greatly impeded economic and social development.

Direct damage caused by weather-related disasters has risen to 6 per cent of China's total annual gross domestic product, statistics show.

That has pressed meteorological authorities to work on new plans to deal with extreme weather emergencies such as floods, droughts, typhoons, sandstorms and climate changes. Extensive efforts are being made to present timely weather forecasts, predict climate change and estimate possible damage to the national economy that might be wrought by weather-related disasters.

Doing this can help decision-makers manage and mitigate damages caused by abnormal weather or climate changes.

In 2003, the national geological disaster forecast system saved nearly 30,000 people from death or injury in 697 geological disasters, avoiding an estimated loss of over 400 million yuan (US$48.2 million).

But damages could have been better mitigated had more precautions by other departments been taken.

The river basins in this country, which are usually major bases of agricultural production, are vulnerable to both droughts and floods. Every year during flood season, the lives of farmers are among the most affected. Grain output is also affected, threatening the country's food security.

Measures should be worked out to help farmers protect regional agriculture under extreme climate changes and to aid families in need. Local governments should also attach more importance to regular maintenance of flood control facilities to improve disaster-control capabilities.

This country has paid dearly for poor preparedness for disasters. In some cases, it was not that disasters were not foreseen or forecast. It was, rather, negligence that resulted in irreparable losses.

And such lessons are not limited to natural disasters. The spread of narcotics, AIDS, and more recently SARS, had a lot to do with negligence.

No matter how effective the belated countermeasures are, they were all late. All the evils could have been brought under more effective control had competent authorities, and society as a whole, taken the first warnings more seriously when they were issued.

Nineteen years after China's first HIV case was found in 1985, the assessment report on China's AIDS prevention and control, released by the Ministry of Health, shows HIV is an epidemic reaching all corners of the country today. The good news is that the central government has realized the importance and set up a high-level government panel to draft AIDS-prevention policies and mobilize resources. Top leaders have also vowed to push a publicity campaign to increase the awareness of AIDS prevention and control among the general public, as well as among high-risk groups.

The cost of preventive measures is certainly smaller than that of remediation, no matter whether we are dealing with floods and drought or AIDS and drugs. We should always bear that in mind.

(China Daily)

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