Ebola reveals weak points in medical system

Inside West Africa, medical workers are taking precaution in their contact with Ebola patients and the virus. Among the new batch of 1,000 Chinese medical workers selected to go to West Africa is Yang Peng, a specialist in infectious diseases at the center for disease control and prevention in Beijing. Yang says his mother burst into tears after being told that he was going to the Ebola-hit region for a second time.

Yang spent 32 days in Guinea starting from mid-August to help evaluate and control the epidemic. He says: "I always carried a sterilizer ... because a public health specialist by instinct would want to get a closer look at a case ... so protection is required." On his return, he was quarantined for the mandatory 21 days before being allowed to go home.

The experience gathered by medical specialists like Yang in West Africa will help China conduct in-depth research into the virus, and determine ways to control such an epidemic and treat patients.

National Health and Family Planning Commission Minister Li Bin has vowed to expand the area of joint research into the virus and strengthen the health department's response mechanism to emergencies like Ebola.

Chinese health workers have demonstrated their determination and willingness to fight the deadly virus. And the nation should applaud their great work.

The author is a senior reporter of China Daily. shanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/08/2014 page4)