Measures for the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Atypical Pneumonia

Measures for the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Atypical Pneumonia Order of the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China (No. 35) The Measures for the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Atypical Pneumonia have been passed at the executive meeting of the Ministry of Health on May 4, 2003, and are hereby promulgated for effect as of the day of promulgation. Wu Yi, Minister of Health May 12, 2003 Measures for the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Atypical Pneumonia Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 In order to effectively prevent and control the occurrence and spreading of the contagious atypical pneumonia (also referred to as severe acute respiratory syndrome, hereafter “SARS”), and to safeguard the physical health and life security of the general public, the present Measures have been formulated according to the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Diseases (hereafter “the Law on the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Diseases ) and the Regulation on Meeting Emergencies in Paroxysmal Public Health Incidents (hereafter “the Regulation”). Article 2 The SARS shall be subject to the administration of statutory contagious diseases as described in the Law on the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Diseases . The Prophylaxis, epidemic situation report, control, rescue and treatment of the SARS shall be governed by the Law on the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Contagious Diseases , the Regulation, and the present Measures. Article 3 In the Prophylaxis and treatment of the SARS, the principles of laying emphasis on Prophylaxis, combining Prophylaxis with treatment, showing hierarchical responsibilities, depending on science, and administering according to law. Article 4 The Ministry of Health (“MOH”) shall uniformly supervise and take charge of the Prophylaxis and treatment of the SARS. The local administrative departments of health on the county level and above shall supervise and take charge of the Prophylaxis and treatment of the SARS within their respective administrative divisions. The disease Prophylaxis and control institutions (hereafter “DPC institutions”) on all levels shall be responsible for monitoring the SARS within their respective extent of responsibilities according to their division of functions. All medical treatment institutions on all levels shall be responsible for the Prophylaxis and treatment of the SARS within their extent of responsibilities. Article 5 We should work all out to wage patriotic health campaigns, pay more attention to health education of SARS and legal propaganda, clean the environment, enhance the consciousness of the masses in Prophylaxis and treatment, mobilize all forces of the society to conduct massive Prophylaxis and treatment and to sever the channels of spreading SARS. Article 6 According to the relevant provisions of the state, appropriate allowances and health-care subsidies shall be granted to the medical persons that participate in the Prophylaxis and treatment of SARS. Those who have made outstanding contributions to the Prophylaxis and treatment of SARS should be honored and granted awards. For those who fall ill or are disabled or die in the Prophylaxis and treatment of SARS, allowances and consolation money shall be granted correspondingly. Article 7 The MOH and the administrative departments of health of the provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall organize timely exchanges of the experiences of preventing and curing SARS between different regions, different medical treatment institutions, and DPC institutions; they shall actively conduct researches in the science and technology regarding the Prophylaxis and treatment of SARS, encourage and support the international exchange and cooperation in the field of scientific research and technology regarding the Prophylaxis and treatment of SARS. Article 8 All entities and individuals shall accept the inquiry, examination, investigation for evidences, supervision and inspection as well as Prophylaxis and control measures of the DPC institutions, medical institutions, and health supervision institutions, and shall be entitled to prosecute and charge against the acts that violate the present Measures. Chapter II Epidemic Situation Report, Notification, and Releases Article 9 Where any entity or individual finds SARS patient or suspected SARS patient (hereafter “patient or suspected patient”), it or he shall report to the local DPC institution in good time. Where any medical institution and the workers thereof or the workers of the DPC institutions find any patient or suspected patient shall report immediately to the local DPC institution. Where a DPC institution find any case of SARS of receives the report of any case of SARS, it shall report immediately to the DPC institution on the next higher level and the local health administrative department. The health administrative department shall, after receiving a report, report to the people's government on the same level, and, at the same time, report to health administrative department on the next higher level as well as the health administrative department of the State Council. Article 10 No entity or individual may conceal, delay the report, make false reports or hint any person to conceal, delay the report, or make false reports of the epidemic situation of SARS. Article 11 The MOH shall, according to the situation of SARS, report in good time to the relevant departments of the State Council and notify the health administrative departments of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government as well as the health administrative departments of the army. The health administrative department of the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government where SARS occurs shall notify the health administrative departments of the neighboring provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government. The health administrative departments of the provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government that are notified shall, where necessary, notify the medical care institutions within their respective administrative jurisdictions so as to do a good job in the Prophylaxis and control of SARS. Article 12 The MOH shall make timely and truthful releases of the situation of SARS, and the health administrative departments of the provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall make timely and truthful releases of the SARS situation within their respective jurisdictions. Article 13 The health administrative departments on the county level and above shall strengthen the construction of the system for monitoring the SARS situation in the rural areas and for reporting the situation of SARS, and shall establish a information network of SARS situation on the county, township, and village levels. Chapter ......