President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, two of China's highest-ranking officials. (Photo : Reuters)
At a meeting on Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for the improvement of sanitation facilities as a key measure in the fight against epidemics.
According to the premier's written statement, presented by Vice Premier Liu Yandong, who is in charge of the area, the Chinese government also needs to invest in an increased number of community and village clinics, in combination with educational initiatives that enhance people's understanding of healthy lifestyles and disease control.
Wednesday's meeting on sanitation improvement and epidemic control, which occurred during a very busy week for governmental bodies in China, also provided the vice premier with a platform to assert the importance of upgraded waste and sewage processing facilities, sewage networks and public toilets. Local governments are in charge of the infrastructural features that Liu spoke of.
In addition to instructions, Liu said that the national government will collaborate with villages, communities, schools, businesses and the military to disseminate awareness-raising information to the public.
Furthermore, the vice premier stated that the government will use the upcoming spring as the deadline for its enhanced disease control and prevention efforts.
The announcement from the premier's office occurred during the same week that China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention warned that active flu season will impact upon the majority of the country's population over the next two-to-three-week period.
Also this week, China's national tourism office committed to the installation of 33,500 new toilets at tourist sites across China in the interests of a "three-star" experience for visitors.
