United Nations Radio

China's Ministry of Health and the country's Center for Disease Control and Prevention have mobilized some 2,000 health experts to assist survivors of the earthquake which struck southwestern China on Monday.

Efforts continue to rescue people from the rubble but a parallel effort is underway to minimize outbreaks of communicable diseases.

Dr. Stephen Martin with the World Health Organization's Disease Control and Humanitarian Emergencies Programme says China's swift response will be critical in preventing outbreaks of such diseases as shigellosis, hepatitis, measles, pneumonia, and illnesses spread by rodents. Another priority, Dr. Martin says, will be to treat those traumatized by the disaster.

"Such events can be and are extremely distressing for the local population. And therefore, they can be traumatized by such event. And post-traumatic trauma or post-traumatic stress should be addressed if possible, given the manpower and capacity of the responding authorities. "

Dr. Martin also warns that the water supply may have been polluted by effluents from damaged chemical plants and industrial facilities. The current rains may also increase the rapidity with which these pollutants will enter the eco-system.

For UN Radio, I'm Dianne Penn.

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