Domestic Patients First

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on February 10 that China prohibits organ transplants for foreign visitors carrying a tourist visa and the ministry will deal harshly with domestic medical institutions involved in illegal organ transplants.

TIMELY RAIN Rain falls across central Henan Province between February 7 and 8, offering relief to this main wheat-producing province in the midst of its worst drought in decades (CHENG QUAN)

China opposes organ transplant for foreign tourists in accordance with international practice, MOH Spokesman Mao Qun'an said at a press conference.

Considering the lack of organ donors in the country, the official said that organ transplants in China should be conducted for domestic patients who have an urgent need for the operation. Domestic hospitals that want to conduct transplant operations on foreigners must receive approval from the MOH.

Official Blues

Two officials were removed from their posts for their poor performance in containing the spread of blue-ear disease, which has killed more than 1,000 pigs in central China's Shanxi Province so far this year.

Zhang Mazhu was sacked as director of the Animal Husbandry Center of Hongtong County, and Jia Changchun was dismissed as deputy Party secretary of Wan'an Township in Hongtong, said a spokesman with the county's Party committee.

The two officials were blamed for failing to take effective measures, he said.

Up to 1,056 pigs have been found dead in Wan'an so far this year. About 80 percent of the dead animals were less than one month old. Local authorities have quarantined the villages and culled 936 infected pigs.

Suspicious Milk Powder

The Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision said on February 11 that it was investigating whether Dumex, the powdered-milk unit of France's Danone Group, had produced milk powder contaminated with melamine.

The bureau said it was following an order from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to investigate the safety of Dumex milk powder that was produced before September 14 last year. The bureau did not explain why the date was chosen.

Overseas media reported last month that 48 Chinese infants recently developed kidney problems after drinking Dumex milk powder, although Dumex Baby Food Co. said there were no medical reports or other evidence to support this claim.

More Sandstorms

If the severe drought gripping north China spreads and lingers, it could damage forests and thus make spring sandstorms worse, according to an official with China's State Forestry Administration.

Luo Bin, an official in charge of sandstorm prevention, said that the worst drought in decades in north China had affected some 6.3 million hectares of forest to the north of Beijing and Tianjin and that if it lingered, parts of these forests would be damaged.

Last year the northern region had 12 sandstorms.