Our Correspondent
Beijing
China’s President Xi Jinping called on Wednesday for greater protection of medical staff fighting the new coronavirus after the deaths of prominent doctors sparked national anger at the government’s handling of the outbreak.
Xi said China must “strengthen efforts to relieve the stress of medical workers, provide them with daily necessities, arrange time for their rest and give them encouragement”, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital in Hubei’s capital Wuhan, died Tuesday, more than a week after the death of ophthalmologist Li Wenliang in the same city.
Xi said China must ensure medical teams in Hubei and Wuhan “carry out work in a safe, orderly, coordinated, effective and swift manner”, Xinhua reported. The deaths of frontline medical workers “reflected doctors’ humane and majestic spirit”, Xi said.
