PLA Daily 2003-04-28

The No.304 hospital of the PLA in Beijing held a brief, yet grand ceremony in honor of the 30-member medical team leaving for the SARS-exclusive hospital on April 27.

　　With　Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Jiang Zemin's approval, the army contributed 1,200 doctors and nurses to assist Beijing in establishing a hospital designated exclusively for treating SARS patients. Public health sources from the PLA General Logistics Department also said that the first batch of the medical personnel is ready.

　　The CMC has paid special attention to sending emergency medical personnel to assist Beijing in the fight against SARS. The commission has ordered the army to send elite doctors and nurses and to provide a sufficient logistics supply for the assistance. Following a CMC order, all medical units of the army have been mobilized for the emergency task. Meanwhile, an emergency team from the General Logistics Department has been working on the construction of a SARS hospital in a Beijing suburb.

　　The General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army in Beijing sent another eight medical personnel for a SARS emergency task on April 28, after a medical team of nine members from the hospital was sent to the SARS-exclusive hospital on the 26. Staffs from the top military hospital attended a send-off ceremony where all eight members wore red flowers -- a symbol of great honor. The eight members held their hands together to demonstrate their determination to fight SARS and their firm belief in prevailing over the deadly virus.

　　Professor Yang Li, a member of the team, said: "we feel it a great honor to carry out this special task as an army man, a Party member or a Communist Youth League member. We will never fail the mission of the People's Army and go against the trust of the Party and the people. Of this, we are confident."

　　On April 27, the No. 304 Hospital of the PLA in Beijing held a brief, yet grand ceremony to honor the 30-member medical team leaving for the SARS-exclusive hospital. Leaders of the hospital escorted the medical team to the designated hospital in person.

　　In the Navy General Hospital, the No. 307 Hospital of the PLA, thousands of medical personnel submitted a letter of determination against SARS.

　　After 6 pm on April 27, the first batch of the emergency medical team from the army and armed police forces arrived at the SARS-exclusive hospital in Beijing suburb. Also, medical teams from military hospitals outside of Beijing are on their way towards the capital.

　　(April 28, PLA Daily)