By Shan Juan (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-06 08:12

FUYANG, Anhui - After two decades on the job, pediatrician Liu Xiaolin is used to making decisions on the spot.

But the Anhui doctor had to make a tough call in late March when she reported the mysterious deaths of children with pneumonia symptoms to local health authorities.

She could have been blamed for barking up the wrong tree and hurting the image of Fuyang No 1 Hospital, one of the best in the city. But she felt she had no choice.

"Two young lives were lost in front of my eyes within hours on the night of March 28, and I could not figure out why," she told China Daily.

"So I reported the deaths - then diagnosed as caused by lung infection - to the local health bureau immediately."

The cause was later found out to be the potentially fatal EV-71 virus, which has left 22 children dead in Fuyang, where nearly 4,000 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) have been recorded. Without her prompt action, things could have been much worse.

That's why during a recent visit to Fuyang, Minister of Health Chen Zhu compared Liu to Zhong Nanshan, a Guangzhou doctor who has been widely lauded as a hero in the fight against SARS in 2003.

Zhong became a household name for his courage, knowledge and skill five years ago when he led the nation's fight against SARS.

"She reminds me of Zhong Nanshan, who alerted health authorities on the SARS virus," Chen said during his inspection tour of Fuyang on April 26.

"They are both top physicians who are always on high alert for any unexplained infection outbreak," Chen said.

Liu said she felt great pressure reporting the deaths.

Some in the hospital questioned her move, saying she was making much ado because common cold also kills and it is not required to report such cases.

"If the cause turned out to be common pneumonia, the image of our hospital could have been tarnished," she said.

"But I could not risk people's lives for fear of losing face.

"My 20-year experience told me it was no simple lung infection."

Liu begins her job at 7 am daily and returns home only at 10 pm. But she still cannot call it a day as "I have to be on call the whole night in case of emergency cases".

She has maintained that grueling schedule for a month even though she once suffered from breast cancer.

"I like spending more time in the wards taking care of the children."

After prolonged contact with infected children, Liu has developed rashes on her palms - a typical symptom of the disease. "I have been infected. But except for several red blisters, it will do no harm to my health," she noted.

HFMD typically affects children younger than five but should they also be struck by the EV-71 virus, their lives are at risk because there is no anti-viral vaccine worldwide.