China's health bureaus have started a drive to tell people ways to rescue themselves and others in public health emergencies.

"We should draw lessons and experience from medical rescue work in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami," said a circular issued by the Ministry of Health.

The circular ordered health bureaus to distribute pamphlets to people about how to respond to public health emergencies, which contain tips on how to avoid risks and disasters, how to save themselves and how to save others.

It urged the bureaus to raise public awareness of discovering and reporting public health emergencies.

It ordered improving the capacity of grass-roots medical institutions in discovering, reporting and handling public health emergencies.

It said emergence response capability shall be included in the system for evaluating work of regional health bureaus.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2007)