Mexico: Flu outbreak exposes weakness of health system

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-06-2009 14:31

Everybody in Mexico is hoping for a quick return to normal life. But there has also been concerns that the sudden rush towards normalcy may increase the risk of a fresh outbreak of the epidemic.

A metrobus worker cleans one of the units as part of the cleaning campaign of public transportation in Mexico City to avoid contagion by the influenza A virus. (AFP/Omar Torres)

Meanwhile, experts also say the impact of the epidemic has exposed weaknesses in the country's health system.

Malaquisa Lopez Cervantes, Epidemiologist, said, "I think that we would make a mistake if, in this moment, we don't build a system to monitor to alert us if the transmission starts again. And not just in the upcoming days. The decision to return to normal activity means there is a risk of new cases. The Mexican Health System doesn't have the characteristics to deal with this kind of problem. If somebody gets sick, they cannot simply go to the doctor or the hospital because it depends if the person has health insurance or not. If the person doesn't have health insurance, he or she will have to go somewhere else."

Editor:Zhang Pengfei