Evaluation of Prevention and Control measures of SARS in Taiwan

Abstract

[[abstract]]This study focuses on the prevention and control measures of SARS in Taiwan. The following four criteria: effectiveness, efficiency, equity and responsiveness are applied to Resource Mobilization, Quarantine, Medical Care and Health Education four dimensions. Under each criterion, concrete indicators were built so as to evaluate the nation?s epidemic control of SARS. The evaluation of the studied subject, dated from March 14,2003 to July 5, 2003, is conducted with the indicator approach of the policy evaluation method. Results? 1. Mobilization of medical resources: The essential infection control supplies are facilitated mainly in medical centers and regional hospitals or areas around Taipei and Kao-Ping branch of Bureau of National Health Insurance. The provision failed not only to reach an ample amount but also to be distributed fairly according to the hospitalizing and spreading of the probable SARS cases. The setup of the SARS referral hospitals wasn?t carried out efficiently. The public generally considered the mobilization should?ve been speeded up. 2. Isolation and infection control: The management and supervision of people under home quarantine worked poorly. The regulation-adjusted measures for arrival have already perverted justice. Though the public was positive to the policy actions, our society still paid dearly. However, the cost-benefit is not analyzed in this study. 3. Measures for health care: Our nation?s response to the crisis was under the public?s expectation as compared with other affected areas. The Fever Screening Centers functioned properly. Hospitals which joined in the prevention and control of SARS, were constituted only 24.09% of the nation?s. The medical resource was not utilized efficiently. The islanders haven?t been provided with equal medical attention. The media?s opinions of healthcare workers diverged but the public is positive of their contribution. 4. Public health education: Ten to twenty percent of the general public did not aware about the conducting lectures of SARS and started to lose their confidence in the promotional materials in May. The different spoken languages in Taiwan were greatly considered when providing guidelines and recommendations. The government coordinated with the media to make public announcements to promote SARS awareness in the relatively early stage. This study provided a framework and indicators for epidemic control, to apply in the nation?s prevention and control measures of SARS evaluation. The following suggestions are advanced for a better epidemic control: 1. A specific and neutral unit should be designed to provide an overall evaluation when encountering heath issues nationwide. 2.Work out an effective mechanism of determining the administrative level activation when any health issue occurs. 3. Set up a single organ to be responsible to make the distribution of medical resources uniform throughout the country. 4. Reexamine the funds for prevention and control of SARS and bring forward the report of spending and the result. 5. Establish a mechanism to collect and preserve data concerning the epidemic control systematically. 6. Adopt the system of hospital assessment to strengthen the infection control in hospitals. 7. Build up a disease-prevention pamphlet to take necessary precautions