Help in Need---Yunnan RC Visiting Delegation Supports Mexican RC on HINI Prevention

By Yunnan RC branch

At invitation of Mexican RC, Yunnan RC delegation of 5 members started its official visit to Mexican RC on April 27^th. When the team arrived in Mexican City, the HINI was in transmitting. The team had decided to return to China, but Mexican RC made a strong request to the delegation to stay and change the exchange focus to the Chinese SARS respond experiences as China had successfully fight against SARS.

Yunnan RC visiting delegation decided to stay and started to assessment. The team found that the Mexican government has carried out a series of effective prevention and control measures, but masks and some medicines effective for HINI prevention and control were out of stock and the IEC (information, education and communication) materials on HINI were rare. So the head of the visiting delegation, Yunnan RC Executive Vice President DU Kelin reported to both RCSC Vice President SU Juxiang and Yunnan RC President CHEN Xunru with the proposal of supporting the Mexican RC on HINI prevention in the afternoon of April 27^th. RCSC NHQs paid high attention to this initiative and decided to support with US$50,000 and Yunnan RC decided to support with US$10,000.

On Apr 28^th, the delegation visited the Mexican RC Emergency Clinic and HINI special quarantine area. The team also attended the workshop presented by Mexican Civil Affairs Minister Marco A.Franco Hernandcz, State Council Executive Legislation Consultant RICARDO ROMAN CHANG, Mexican RC Vice President, directors of Information, Relief and Mexican Chinese Federation Secretary General LI Jinzhou.　　　　　　　　 　　　

At the workshop, Marco A.Franco Hernandcz, RICARDO ROMAN CHANG and Mexican RC Vice President had made presentations respectively on current prevalence, measures taken by Mexican government and work carried out by Mexican RC. Yunnan Executive Vice President Du Kelin conveyed the concern and support from RCSC to Mexican RC on HINI prevention. She also shared experiences of China anti-SARS in 2003, including “Five-early”, namely early prevention, early surveillance, early testing, early diagnose, and early treatment, quarantine observation among the SARS close contact persons, SARS susceptive cases treated at the appointed sepicefic hospital and IEC activity among the public and tourists both from home and abroad. She also expressed that Yunnan RC would support Mexican RC with US$10,000 on IEC materials on HINI targeting at the general public and tourists both from home and abroad. Mexican RC appreciated the information from Yunnan RC on SARS program which will benefited their HINI prevention and they expressed the great gratitude towards both RCSC and Yunnan RC on the practical support.