The Beijing Union Medical College Hospital, a designated hospital
for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients, provided 100
radios Sunday to patients and medical staff.
The hospital is also working with the telecommunication department
for opening hotlines to SARS wards, said hospital director Qi
Keming during the presentation ceremony.
The gift of the radios was a measure designed to keep isolated SARS
patients and doctors and nurses in touch with the outside world and
help ease their fear amid increasing concern over rising SARS
infection in the Chinese capital.
"We don't want to make the hospital a jail for SARS patients," said
Qi. "We are trying to help them remain relaxed and light-hearted
because good spirits and psychological health are instrumental to
recovery."
Qi
said experts and volunteers will be organized to provide hotline
counseling services for SARS patients and the general public.
Psychological factors greatly influence the function of the immune
system, which has an impact on SARS patients' recovery, said Li
Xuewang, vice director of the hospital.
The hospital has kept relatives of its SARS patients informed of
the latest situation and will arrange special areas for patients to
meet with their relatives.
A
Beijing radio music channel will provide a daily one-hour hotline
service from May 7 for SARS patients and their doctors and nurses,
said the hospital's publicity department.
Listeners could dedicate songs for SARS patients and doctors, said
the department.
(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2003)
