Director-General Chan of the WHO Blasts China for Witholding Samples (No, not really)
Gotcha. Did you really think there was going to be Hollywood ending to the Director-General Saga?
Actually, what the new Director-General of the WHO, Margaret Chan, really said was:
"China is adopting a positive attitude towards cooperation in the area of public health"
From the same article:
Chan's election had earlier prompted calls for independence and transparency at the top of
the global health agency amid concern about the mainland's secrecy in tackling infectious
diseases.
"Cooperation between China and the WHO is good. The exchange of timely information
facilitates the work of the organization," Chan was quoted as saying.
And from the We Think You Are All Very Stupid division of the Department of Propaganda in the PRC, translated to English by various fellow-travelers:
Observers said Chan's position may help consolidate China's relationship with the WHO,
and could encourage Beijing to share medical samples and exchange information with
member countries
Director-General Chan isn't shy about telling her own bald-faced lies:
Asked about the threat from bird flu and other infectious diseases confronting the world,
Chan said the current situation on bird flu has eased off somewhat, and morbidity is lower
than in the past two years partly because countries have become more alert about
prevention and control of bird flu, and will adopt various timely measures to contain any
outbreak.
For anyone needing a reality check, use the Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO to calculate the kill rate for H5N1 in 2004 and 2006. The answer is: 69% for 2004 and 68% for 2006. What a relief. From 69% to 68% with the steady hand of Margaret Chan as pandemic flu czar. Now that she has been promoted to Director-General, we can expect more of her special abilities.
btw, anyone know where Dr. Julie Hall is? Dr. Chan was required to leave the WHO while campaigning for Director-General. While she was gone Dr. Hall said this:
"It's so sad that we haven't got that information or those viruses from the Ministry of
Agriculture and we have to rely on research groups in Hong Kong and the United States to
provide that information," Hall said.
From WHO slams Chinese Ministry of Health for not sharing bird flu info, viruses, dateline November 1 2006.
Anyone think we are going to see anymore headlines like that one?
Sunday, November 26, 2006