By Peng Fei, People’s Daily
China has made greater and concerted efforts to prevent and control the novel coronavirus epidemic, boosting confidence to win a decisive victory in the fight against the virus outbreak.
The prevention and control work is still the most important task as the country faces complicated and serious situation.
Since the outbreak, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has exercised leadership and coordinated work in all aspects, while the Party committees and governments at all levels have resolutely implemented instructions.
Meanwhile, the leading cadres, Party members and medical staff have worked hard on the front line of the battle against the epidemic. And people from all sectors have donated money and goods to fight the virus.
Attaching great importance to the prevention and control work, Chinese President Xi Jinping made important instructions upon the outbreak. He stressed that China must put people’s safety and health as the top priority, implement a comprehensive prevention and control network and strengthen mass prevention and treatment. He also spoke of the need for the timely release of information and the deepening of international cooperation.
Xi’s important speeches and instructions have charted the course for comprehensively enhancing the epidemic prevention and control work.
As a Chinese proverb goes, all sides come to help when one is struck by disaster. Currently, 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China have activated first-level public health emergency response, drafted and implemented prevention and control measures among communities, and launched networked management.
Medical teams and staff across the country have rushed to Wuhan to help fight virus without hesitation. The country has mobilized the general public among communities, popularized knowledge of epidemic prevention and control, and cancelled mass gatherings.
The institutional strength of China’s socialist system which can bring together the resources necessary to take on great tasks is the key to win the battle against the epidemic.
Just as what World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, the high speed and massive scale of China’s moves are rarely seen in the world. Many of the prevention and containment measures China has taken far exceed relevant requirements for dealing with emergencies, and the measures China has taken are good not only for that country but also for the rest of the world, he added.
By adhering to a national perspective, China strives to seize the initiative in epidemic prevention and control, which is a systematic project.
First, the CPC Central Committee has exercised unified command while local governments and departments have implemented relevant instructions. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the leading group of the CPC Central Committee on the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus outbreak made overall planning and coordination.
In general, all provinces have established a leadership system headed by principal leaders of Party committees and governments, as well as a joint prevention and control mechanism featuring participation by multiple departments.
The strengths of all fronts are complementary. A national research team of experts was set up immediately to focus on research on treatment of severe cases, research and development of vaccines and other aspects.
Healthcare security and financial departments have implemented the subsidy policies to ensure that patients’ treatment would not be affected due to medical costs. And transport departments have enhanced management to cut off the transmission channels and ensure that passengers can cancel their tickets and get refunds for free.
Local governments and relevant departments have ensured that policies and decisions are strictly carried out in a coordinated manner, generating strong synergy in epidemic prevention and control.
It is a battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic that affects lives and health of hundreds of millions of people. It is also a battle China must win.
To secure a victory, all walks of life and various sectors are taking actions. Medical staff have written letters of petition to support Hubei province, Party members and cadres have been on the frontline of the fight against the virus day and night, workers have worked overtime to make medical supplies, and ordinary citizens have avoided going outside and developed good health habits.
These efforts unleash huge energy like small streams converging into the ocean. As long as we focus our thoughts and efforts towards the same goal, we can forge the iron great wall to contain the virus outbreak and safeguard our health and homeland.
No mountain is unclimbable and no difficulty is insurmountable as long as we work together as one.
China has the confidence and ability to win the battle against the epidemic as it has mastered more advanced medical technologies, established a more mature emergency response mechanism, and accumulated richer experience in epidemic prevention and control.
