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SARS epidemic: TSU legislators propose SARS relief fund

TSU lawmakers yesterday urged the government to draw up a special budget of NT$100 billion to ease the impact of the spreading epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, Taiwan.

"A special fund should be formulated to prevent the SARS epidemic in Taiwan from evolving into a disaster," said Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君), TSU legislative caucus whip.

Chien Lin contended that the source of the fund can emulate the precedent of a special budget for the Keelung River levee and dredging construction project and the fund for the country's reconstruction plan after the 921 earthquake.

Warning that the multiple infections at Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital on Tuesday could lead to a climax of the SARS infection in the country, Chien Lin and her fellow TSU lawmakers urged the government to conduct intensive measures against the worsening epidemic situation.

Aside from implementing a 14-day quarantine measure against travelers from infected areas, the government should suspend granting visas to people from such areas, the TSU lawmakers proposed.

Insisting that the country should voice its objection to the WHO for shunning the the country due to political calculations, the TSU caucus asserted that Taiwan should also continue striving for WHO membership.

The TSU caucus further argued that the rising number of SARS cases in China, Hong Kong and Macau have seriously affected Taiwan's tourism, catering, trade, show business and transportation industries.

"The Executive Yuan should offer subsidiary measures to the local tourism industry," Chien added, "which has been most seriously impacted by the international outbreak of SARS."

"Members of the legislature, regardless of belonging to ruling or opposition parties, should endorse the special fund proposal [to fight] against the spreading disease. A similar fund of about NT$50 billion has also been proposed in Hong Kong for tackling the epidemic," TSU Legislator Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙) said. Liao demanded an investigation into whether Chiou Shu-ti (邱淑媞), director of Taipei's Bureau of Health, should face charges of dereliction of duty.

"The outbreak indicates the inability of the Health Bureau director regarding her responsibility to implement comprehensive quarantine measures," Liao argued.

According to Liao, Chiou was authorized by the Department of Health to lead the city's prevention measures against the epidemic, after her warning on March 24 that a local outbreak of SARS could occur by the end of April if the city government was not given the power to enforce prevention measures

In related news, a staff member at the Legislative Yuan said that the legislature has enhanced prevention measures against SARS.

"The Legislative Yuan intensified sterilization measures to cut the risk of SARS after local cases of SARS were reported," said Yu Teng-fang (余騰芳), head of general affairs section at the legislature.
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