Weak links in the chain

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-27 07:38

The fight against A/H1N1 has shown that in the process of globalization, risks and crises know no borders. Self-protective and self-preventive approaches cannot meet the challenges. Worldwide cooperation is the only way to win the fight, says an article on the Xinhua website. Excerpts:

The A/H1N1 flu has ravaged more than 40 countries across the world since it broke out in Mexico last month. Some developing countries, including those in Africa, have been spared so far by the virus. But these countries are faced with severe challenges in preventing the epidemic, which calls for more attention and support from the international community.

Developing countries have taken action to keep the epidemic at bay. In Africa, some countries have set up emergency prevention and control centers, screened visitors and purchased necessities to fend off the strain.

Reviewing and assessing the global chain for preventing the virus, one finds developing countries are generally weak in many aspects. These countries are facing many-sided difficulties, such as lack of diagnostic labs, and are unable to detect and track the epidemic in time.

A specialist from the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out recently that most developing countries are simply not in a position to detect or track seasonal flu, let alone a potentially pandemic strain of the A/H1N1.

A recent assessment revealed that the patients who are seriously sick with the A/H1N1 and those who died of the virus also suffer from other chronic diseases. A total of 85 percent of these people are from the low and middle income countries. Once the virus breaks out there, it will have a bigger impact than it has had anywhere else.

For these countries, the biggest challenge is that even as they are moving to prevent the epidemic, they have already been overburdened by the fight against AIDS, malaria and encephalitis.

(China Daily 05/27/2009 page8)