THE SARS outbreak 10 years ago alerted the government to the importance of public health in national development and the necessity of coordinated action both nationally and internationally, according to renowned Chinese respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan.

    Zhong became a household name during the fight with the epidemic in 2003. SARS infected more than 5,000 people on the mainland, and claimed at least 300 lives, according to the Ministry of Health.

    The crisis proved to be a turning point as issues concerning health became intertwined with economic development, Zhong said in a recent interview.

    China has since invested heavily to enhance both disease surveillance and its response capacity. Public health funding has increased significantly since the epidemic, registering 100 percent growth between 2002 and 2006.

    According to the Asian Development Bank, SARS cost China US$6.1 billion, or 0.5 percent of its GDP, in 2003.

    “Starting with infectious diseases, other public health issues like food safety and occupational health attracted unprecedented government attention right after the epidemic,” Zhong said. He praised the interventionist approach established after 2003.

    To tackle any future potential outbreaks, he called for further cooperation among institutions, and urged local governments to raise public health awareness, boost their technical capacity and release outbreak data quickly.

    (Han Ximin)