Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L) visits a patient seriously injured in an earthquake, at Huaxi Hospital in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 21, 2013. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Lushan County of Sichuan Province on April 20 morning. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Sunday morning visited patients injured in the strong earthquake that hit southwest China's Sichuan Province on Saturday.
Li visited the West China Hospital, a leading facility in Chengdu, Sichuan's capital, which has taken in a number of seriously-injured patients who had been transferred from the quake-hit areas.
Before heading to the hospital, Li had been in Lushan County, the epicenter of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake, since Saturday afternoon, giving instructions of the rescue and relief work.
At the hospital's intensive-care unit, the premier asked doctors about the conditions and treatment of several patients.
Among the patients was Yue Anhong, a local resident who was buried under rubble and seriously injured.
"Be relaxed and relieved. Doctors here will make their utmost efforts to help you recover as soon as possible," Li told her at her sickbed.
He told local officials that the top priority of the quake-relief work is to save people's lives, which include searching for survivors and providing them with medical treatment.
He stressed that those who were seriously injured in the quake should be given effective medical treatment, so as to minimize the number of casualties.
Another patient Yang Shangming, who has been in a stable condition after receiving medical treatment, was worrying about the medical fee.
Li reassured him that the government would cover the medical fees for those who were seriously injured in the quake, so as to guarantee meticulous treatment for them.
Doctors of eight-year-old Zhang Ke said the boy was seriously shocked by the quake.
Li asked the hospital to arrange psychological treatment for the seriously injured, especially minors.
The premier extended greetings to medical workers engaged in the rescue and relief work.
"All medical workers here have tried their best. You are bearing a heavy mission since this hospital has taken in the largest number of seriously-injured people from the quake zone and they have trusted you with their life and health," he said. "I believe through your efforts patients will recover as early as possible. This is also what people across the country expect."
On his way to the West China Hospital, Premier Li specially asked about the progress of quake-relief deployments made during a meeting held Saturday evening, and he was briefed that all deployments have been implemented.
So far, an additional 200-member professional rescue team and their equipment have arrived at the epicenter and started searching and rescuing survivors.
Several medical teams, by air and foot, have entered Baoxing County the area that had no communication with areas outside of it. Some injured survivors have been rescued and transported out of the county.
The quake-relief headquarters has collected 800 portable dwellings, and experts responsible for evaluating the safety of constructions and the quake's damage have arrived in the area.
As of 2 p.m. Sunday, more than 35,959 personnel had arrived in the quake-hit area to help in the rescue and relief work. Hospitals around Sichuan Province had received more than 8,174 patients wounded in the quake.
After the hospital visit, Li returned to Beijing Sunday afternoon.
Special report: 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolts Ya'an
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