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Health Policy and Planning Advance Access published online on September 17, 2007
Health Policy and Planning, doi:10.1093/heapol/czm029
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Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2007; all rights reserved.

An investigation into local government plans for public health emergencies in China

Guoqing Hu1,*, Keqin Rao2, Zhaoquan Sun1 and Zhenqiu Sun1

1Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Xiang-Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha City, Hunan Province, China.
2Director, Health Statistical and Information Center, Ministry of Health of China, 1 Nanlu, XiZhiMenWai, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100044, China.

* Corresponding author: For reprint requests: Guoqing Hu, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Xiang-Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, 110 Xiang-ya Road, Changsha City, Hunan Province, 410078, China. Tel: +86–(0)731–480 5466. Fax: +86–(0)731–4805268. E-mail: huguoqing110{at}xysm.net

Objectives A cross-sectional investigation was designed to assess the quality of local government plans for public health emergencies and to determine whether relevant regulations for emergency plans are in place.

Methods Sixty-six municipalities were selected randomly using stratified sampling, and a questionnaire investigation on emergency plans was conducted in these municipalities.

Results The findings show that approximately 50% of emergency plans omitted important content; less than 50% of municipalities had established three regulations for emergency plans.

Conclusions Based on the analysis, the quality of existing public health emergency plans is not sufficient. More than 50% of municipalities lack regulations for emergency plans. Suggestions regarding the responsibility of government at different levels are made. First, central government should draw up a set of standard development procedures and a standard template for emergency plans. Secondly, local governments should revise their plans. Thirdly, local governments should establish regulations for emergency plans as soon as possible.

Key Words: Public health practice, emergency planning, local government

Accepted for publication 1 May 2007.


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