More emergency medical teams to be built in China

China now has established 37 emergency medical teams in 23 provinces and municipalities to offer emergency medical rescue, acute infectious disease prevention and control, as well as specialist rescue in situations like poisoning, nuclear and radiation emergencies.

Among the teams, one from Shanghai and one from Guangdong have received recognition from the World Health Organization as top international emergency medical teams. This reflects China's capability in emergency event response and treatment, health officials told the annual meeting of the Chinese Society of Disaster Medicine.

According to Xu Shuqiang, director of the emergency management office of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, the national government will perfect emergency rescue by 2020, after achieving full coverage of national emergency medical teams and building six rescue bases on river and on sea, plus seven comprehensive medical rescue centers.

Dr Liu Zhongmin, president of Shanghai East Hospital and head of the International Emergency Medical Team in Shanghai, said China lags behind on air rescue compared with developed countries.