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Geneva: China and Myanmar gave the World Health Organization upbeat reports Monday on their recovery from recent disasters and thanked international donors for their assistance.
The weeklong meeting of the agency's governing 193-nation World Health Assembly began with a minute of silence for those killed in the Myanmar cyclone and in the Chinese earthquake.
"In just a few seconds, tens of thousands of lives were lost" when an earthquake struck central China last week, Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu told delegates to the annual meeting.
But national and international response was speedy, Chen said, noting that "many countries have provided human, technical and material support."
Health workers have "seized every second in saving lives and in preventing and controlling epidemics," he said.
Rescue and relief operations are "in full swing and proceeding in an orderly manner," Chen said.
"The earthquake rescue and relief effort received strong support from the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, including compatriots of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan," he
said.
"On behalf of the Chinese government I would like to express our gratitude for the ... support of the international community."
Disasters "will only build stronger ties between us and the international community," Chen said.
Chinese officials have said they expect the final death toll from the May 12 quake to exceed 50,000.
Myanmar Ambassador Wunna Maung Lwin said the storm that struck his country in early May was the worst cyclone ever to hit the Southeast Asian nation.
"The government and people of Myanmar are grateful to the friendly nations, the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, private individuals and all friends far and
near for their sympathy and condolences expressed, their kind generosity in donating emergency relief provisions as well as financial support," Lwin said.
"We firmly believe that with the aid and goodwill of the international community and the national people we will be able to overcome the hardships in the near future."
Lwin ignored criticism that the country's response to the storm had been slow in part because it had been reluctant to admit foreign aid workers and that help has only reached a fraction of the estimated 2 million people left homeless, injured other otherwise affected by the storm.
"The situation of storm-hit regions is now improving," Lwin said, adding that international organizations and others are providing victims with food, medicines, clothing and tents.
He said Myanmar authorities "have been making their best efforts" to distribute the provisions to the victims in a timely manner by using helicopters, motor vehicles and boats.
As of Saturday, countries had sent in 64 aircraft and two naval ships carrying relief supplies and UN and other agencies had sent 20 planeloads, he said.
He said the first of about 200 doctors and nurses Myanmar had requested from neighboring countries had arrived and that the others would follow in a few days.
Lwin cited the official death toll of 77,738 people, with 55,917 still missing and 19,359 injured.
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