RP not fully prepared to fight SARS – PERC survey

SINGAPORE (AFP) — The Philippines is scarcely prepared to deal with a major medical crisis if the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) finally sweeps into the country, a regional survey said.

Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong are the best prepared in Asia to deal with the mystery flu-like virus that has claimed over a hundred lives worldwide, the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) survey said.

The Philippines ranked a mediocre seventh among 12 Asian countries on their capability to deal with any outbreak of disease.

PERC said the SARS outbreak is a "stress-test" for the region’s medical systems, and so far China "gets a failing grade" for how it handled the infections.

PERC asked 1,072 expatriate business executives working in 12 Asian countries and territories to grade their confidence in the ability of the host there to deal with major illnesses.

The survey was carried out in January and February this year when SARS was not yet seen as a major threat.

But PERC said the virulent disease that has now afflicted more than 3,200 people and killed around 122 others worldwide can be considered a major illness.

"Of all the Asian countries surveyed, expatriates in Singapore expressed the greatest degree of confidence in the medical system’s ability to treat major illnesses," said the survey, received here at the weekend.

"Next in terms of confidence — although a considerable distance from Singapore — were Japan and Hong Kong, respectively," it said.

"Respondents had the least confidence in Indonesia, followed by India ... China and Vietnam," it said.

On a scale from 0-10, with zero the best possible grade and 10 the worst, Singapore scored 2.33, followed by Japan 4.0 and Hong Kong 4.21. Taiwan and Thailand tied at 5.25.

In fifth place was Malaysia with 5.33, the Philippines, 6.60; South Korea, 7.0; Vietnam, 7.38; China, 7.50; India, 8.0; and Indonesia, 9.14.

Singapore’s score however was behind those of the United States (0.86), Britain (2.08) and Australia (2.14), which were included in the survey for comparison.

There have been nine deaths in Singapore out of at least 140 SARS cases — the fourth highest in the world behind China, Hong Kong and Toronto in Canada.

"It is no coincidence that Singapore and Hong Kong have been put at the forefront of the fight against the SARS virus," PERC said, pointing out that medical systems in both are the "most developed and sensitive to this type of problem."

In Hong Kong, the battle against SARS highlighted the capabilities of the territory’s scientists, who have joined a network of laboratories worldwide to hunt for the SARS virus, it said.

The importance of cutting edge research bodies in Hong Kong and Singapore could grow as a result of SARS.

PERC criticized China’s handling of the SARS outbreak.

"The top priority of the Chinese authorities seems to have been to prevent panic among the local public by pretending that there was nothing to worry about.

"Unfortunately, this approach has probably facilitated the spread of the disease beyond China’s borders," it said.

The first SARS cases are believed to have originated from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong in November 2002 and was brought to Hong Kong, from where it was spread globally by travelers.

PERC warned that the issue in the global health scare sparked by SARS is not just of fear, but of confidence as well.

"The more the disease spreads, the more that people living in those locations lose confidence in the system’s ability to cope with the problem," it said, citing cases of people fleeing the SARS-affected areas.

But it said the fight to contain the disease, which still has no known treatment, has unified scientists worldwide who are racing to find a cure.

It could also solidify governments the way the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US galvanized international resolve against terrorism, PERC said.