How to Improve the Response of Chinese Government - Coursework Example

Facing SARS: Improve the Response of Chinese Government al Affiliation) Background A country’s medical assets and liabilities alike such as the system of healthcare delivery, healthcare research establishment and medical education are exposed when an infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreaks. A number of lives are lost along the way in an effort to confine the infection. It is imperative to understand and reflect on possible lessons from the previous outbreaks, suggest probable opportunities for necessary change in the current medical and education system competent of dealing with future medical emergency. The outbreak of SARs demonstrates the vulnerability of the entire country to the importation of unexpected health crisis and infectious organisms. The health agencies in China have taken significant steps in ensuring a less vulnerable country since the last outbreak of the infectious SARs (Ahmad, Krumkamp & Reintjes, 2009). Even though a number of challenges exist, China has enhanced its capability to not only prepare for but also to counter to a contagious disease hazard of national apprehension. In addition to assuming leadership role in program development geared towards ensuring the country’s health security, a thorough practice of vigilance by the authorities is imperative. State the problem During an outbreak of infectious diseases such as SARs, the federal government should be on the fore front in fighting and controlling the spread of the diseases through every possible incentive at its disposal. One such incentive is assumption of advisory role and communicating with the territories and provinces in the provision of advice to health care providers on public health measures, clinical management and laboratory testing. In addition, the federal government should be able to present information to the general public and at-risk groups. When the outbreak extends past more than two territories or provinces, then it is within the governments’ mandate to assume leadership role in coordinating the response. Given that the outbreak may overwhelm territorial resources, the federal government should offer assistance to lead the investigation and response into the outbreak (Ahmad, Krumkamp & Reintjes, 2009). According to Ahmad, Krumkamp & Reintjes, in the course SARs outbreak in China, there was lack of initial cooperation from the government and limited resources for the control of infectious diseases which delayed the extensive actions implemented by the WHO in response to the outbreak (2009). Furthermore, the problem of information flow within the Chinese hierarchy added to the hindrances in fighting the spread and control of the SARs outbreak in China. There was no authorized provincial healthcare official to open the document and pass the information to the necessary officials for a period of three days. Only a few health officials were alerted by the information after it was finally received given that most of them were off duty on vacation. For this reason, the general public was kept uninformed of the outbreak of the disease. Even though it is within the government’s right to withhold health information as a secret until it is deemed fit for public disperse, the time for creating awareness of infectious disease outbreak to the public plays a significant role in controlling the spread and mitigating its effects and death toll. The initial government failure to inform the general public on the outbreak of the disease intensified fear and anxieties in addition to widespread speculations. This later presented a huddle in proper and effectively handling and control of the disease outbreak across China. There was continued media blackout concerning the outbreak of SARs virus, this further confined the flow of information to the general public thereby thwarting the government’s effort in dealing with the alarming catastrophe (Deurenberg-Yap et al, 2005). China’s decision to withhold information concerning the outbreak of the disease to the public was contributed by the consideration of the possible implications of the information on the local economic development. The government’s priority of economic development over the general public health presented an uphill task in controlling the spread and outbreak of the SARs virus in China. Define the problem Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious respiratory viral illness caused by SARS-associated coronavirus. It is considered a very serious form of pneumonia by most health officials, which is responsible for acute respiratory anguish in addition to death. In China, the 2003 SARS epidemic is considered one of the most critical public health crises the country has seen for a long time in history. It served as warning shot to the country’s health professionals, economic planners, security officials and policy makers even though it only lasted for a few months. The Chinese government was able to control the spread and outbreak of the SARS before it could become a global crises after initially prevaricating and stalling. The first case of the SARS outbreak was reported in southern China in November 2002 from Guandong Province, China. It later rapidly spread in early February 2003 along international air route across a number of Asian countries with over 7, 782 cases and 729 deaths reported. A number of atypical pneumonia clusters were later identified in several parts of Asia including Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam. The following table shows some characteristics is some countries when SARS outbreak in 2003. Table 1: The characteristics in some countries when SARS outbreak in 2003 Investigations into the outbreak by the WHO revealed that it originated from a physician who was caring for patients with respiratory illness. The physician reported the diseases to the local anti-epidemic who intern passed the information to provincial health bureau which in turn reported to the provincial government and the Ministry of Health (Deurenberg-Yap et al, 2005). A team of health experts was dispatched to Zhongshan to complete an investigation into the unidentified disease after which a report was delivered to provincial health bureau on January 27 and further to Beijing to the Ministry of Health. The Chinese government treated the report as top secret meaning only top and authorized official could open and read its contents. The delay in reading the report caused the first hindrance in controlling the spread once the SARS virus outbreak given that it hindered the necessary information flow within the Chinese hierarchy. The rapid and dramatic spread of the diseases and chain of transmission clearly indicated the SARS’ potential of spreading extensively from a single infected person to rapid dissemination globally through air. Despite the numerous challenges presented by the Chinese government in dealing with the spread of the SARS virus, WHO together with global partners, managed to lead a response within two weeks to aetiological agent identification (SARS-associated coronavirus). After the identification, a series of effective and decisive containment efforts were applied that ensure the interruption of the last chain of human transmission in not more than 4 months (Jiang, Elam & Brug, 2009). The epidemic presented a number of challenges to the Chinese government. It not only challenged the Chinese health care systems but also disrupted the country’s economy while testing the effectiveness of the International Health Regulations. The economic impact of SARS was widespread across the Asian countries but was immensely felt in China given their delayed response and information release to the public. Formulate Criteria The measure of the SARS epidemic is evident in the immense number of lives lost and those affected. The epidemic had an adverse effect on China’s economic development causing the Asian economies close to $18 billion in addition to temporarily dampened consumer confidence and estimated losses of close to two percent of the total output. Even though the SARS epidemic was temporary, it had an immense negative impact on a myriad of economic activities such as tourism and travel. The effects on health care system, security and economy of China can be used as criteria to measure the epidemic. Given the immense negative impact of the SARS virus in addition to its rapid rate of transmission across the globe it can be considered a catastrophic epidemic (Jiang, Elam & Brug, 2009). Propose Alternatives In an effort to effectively deal with future health crises such as SARS, it is imperative for the government to effectively assume its leadership role in communicating with the territories and provinces in the provision of advice to health care providers on public health measures, clinical management and laboratory testing. Besides the development of programs to ensure the security of the country from unidentified and infectious organism such as virus, the government should assume leadership role in terms of health matters. A real time inventory of response capacity that is capable of responding to future health crises should be made available. This involves the creation of office of Response to Public Health Emergencies. The government should invest in monitoring and early warning systems for potential future outbreaks. Furthermore, it is imperative to initiate field epidemiology training programs (Yao et al, 2013). Evaluate alternative Based on the formulated criteria, four possible solutions and preventive measures can be formulated in an effort to deal with future health crises such as SARS in China. First, lucid definition of accountability and authority for a myriad of public health functions needs to be conducted and different territories of the country during the epidemic. This solution can be deemed effective given the significant role communication plays during epidemic and outbreak. Proper communication involving the right authorities ensures that the necessary resources are allocated in the affected areas in a bit to contain the outbreak. In addition, regional coordination should be supported among all agencies with public health functions and law enforcement given that the political boundaries are not barriers to infections. Also, a periodical review of the public health measures adopted during the epidemic is an imperative procedure in dealing with future outbreaks. This solution presents an effective way of dealing with feature epidemics given that it keeps the country and health officials on alert concerning new developments of a possible outbreak thus early constainment. Lastly, public health laws of the country need to be flexible enough to allow for appropriate response to new outbreaks such as quarantine administration. Furthermore, the country should invest more in curbing the current shortage of epidemiologist and public health nurses and official in a bid to effectively deal with future outbreak. The administration of quarantine has proved to be effective way of containing the further spread of a number of contagious viruses across the globe. The best solution will be appropriate and timely communication of the outbreak to the relevant authorities and health care officials before the public is made aware and precautions taken to curb the outbreak. References Ahmad, A., Krumkamp, R., & Reintjes, R. (2009). Controlling SARS: a review on Chinas response compared with other SARS-affected countries. Tropical Medicine & International Health: TM & IH, 14 Suppl 136-45. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2008.02146.x. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-3156 Deurenberg-Yap, M., Foo, L., Low, Y., Chan, S., Vijaya, K., & Lee, M. (2005). The Singaporean response to the SARS outbreak: knowledge sufficiency versus public trust. Health Promotion International, 20(4), 320-326. Retrieved from http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/ Gray J. SARS and the Academic Health Sector. Clinical And Investigative Medicine. Médecine Clinique Et Experimentale [serial online]. February 2005; 28(1):30-32. Retrieved from http://cimonline.ca/index.php/cim Jiang X, Elam G, & Brug J, (2009). The perceived threat of SARS and its impact on precautionary actions and adverse consequences: a qualitative study among Chinese communities in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. International Journal Of Behavioral Medicine [serial online].; 16(1):58-67. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/journal/12529 Yao, L., Chen, E., Chen, Z., & Gong, Z. (2013). From SARS to H7N9: the mechanism of responding to emerging communicable diseases has made great progress in China. Bioscience Trends, 7(6), 290-293. Retrieved from http://www.biosciencetrends.com/ Read More