The 25th plenary of the Patriotic Health Committee of the PLA was held yesterday in Beijing. The plenary summarized the work in the year of 2003 and made plans for the work in 2004. Liao Xilong, member of the Central Military Commission, director of the Patriotic Health Committee of the PLA and director of the General Logistics Department of the PLA presided over the meeting and made an important speech.
According to the sources, in the last year, 629 units above regiment level were named "Civilized Hygiene Barracks", 73 units and 73 individuals were awarded outstanding collectives and outstanding individuals in building "Civilized Hygiene Barracks". In light of the requirements of "Civilized Hygiene Barracks", all troops have strengthened public sanitary safety work and the health awareness of officers and men has also been boosted, as a result, the occurrence rate of infectious disease dropped 18% last year compared with the previous year.
Liao Xilong pointed out in his speech, the year of 2003 was the year in which the patriotic health and sanitary work had experienced severe test and at the same time achieved remarkable achievements. The awareness of civilized hygiene of the officers and men were remarkably aroused and the environmental sanitation quality of the troops had been further improved. Especially in the fighting of the SARS, the patriotic health committees of the PLA at various levels earnestly performed their duties and implemented the comprehensive measures, which provided conditions for the initial victory of anti-SARS operation and ensured the sanitary safety of officers and men.
Liao Xilong continued to say that the patriotic health and sanitation work of the PLA this year should be guided by the important thought of the "Three Represents", with guaranteeing of sanitary safety of the officers and men as its objective and building "Civilized Sanitary Barracks" as its focus. It should earnestly implement "Planning for Patriotic Health and Sanitation Work of the PLA during the Tenth Five-Year Plan Period" and energetically strengthen the civilized hygiene work of the PLA and establish and perfect emergency system to deal with emergent public health cases and improve environmental sanitary quality, comprehensive disease prevention ability and overall health level of the troops so as to help boost the military changes with Chinese characteristics.
By Fan Shunliang and Zhou Meng
(Feb.6, PLA Daily)
