Regulations on Preparedness for and Response to Emergent Public Health Hazards

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2014-06-18

Article 43 People’s governments at or above the county level shall grant necessary funds to ensure the provision of timely and effective medical treatment to persons who contract diseases or become disabled owing to the emergent hazard. The specific measures therefor shall be formulated by the finance department, the competent health administrative department and the competent labor and social security administrative department of the State Council.

Article 44 In the emergent hazard, patients, suspected patients or persons in close contact with patients of infectious diseases, who are required to be isolated for medical treatment, or be subject to medical observation, shall offer cooperation when the competent health administrative departments or relevant institutions take sanitary measures; if they refuse to do so, the public security organs shall assist to enforce these measures according to law.

Chapter V Legal Liability

Article 45 Where local people’s governments at or above the county level or their competent health administrative departments fail to perform the duty to report the emergent hazard in accordance with these Regulations, or withhold the truth about, delay the report or make a false report on the emergent hazard or incite other persons to do so, the principal leading members of the people’s governments or the principal responsible persons of their competent health administrative departments shall be given an administrative sanction of demotion or dismissal from posts according to law. If such acts cause dissemination or epidemic of infectious diseases or cause other serious risks to the health of the public, the said leading members or responsible persons shall be given an administrative sanction of discharge from public employment according to law. If a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

Article 46 Where relevant departments of the State Council, local people’s governments at or above the county level or their relevant departments fail to produce, supply, transport or reserve the facilities, equipment, drugs or medical devices and other materials needed for making response to the emergent hazard in accordance with these Regulations, the principal leading members of the people’s governments or the principal responsible persons of the departments shall be given an administrative sanction of demotion or dismissal from posts according to law. If such acts cause dissemination or epidemic of infectious diseases or cause other serious risks to the health of the public, the said leading members or responsible persons shall be given an administrative sanction of discharge from public employment according to law. If a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.

Article 47 Where, upon the outbreak of an emergent hazard, local people’s governments at or above the county level or their relevant departments fail to offer cooperation in the investigation conducted by the relevant departments of the people’s governments at the higher level, or obstruct or interfere with such investigation by other means, the principal leading members of the people’s governments or the principal responsible persons of the departments shall be given an administrative sanction of demotion or dismissal from posts according to law. If a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be investigated according to law.