Chennai: Union Minister of State for Health A Raja on April 28 left for Maldives via Thiruvananthapuram to participate in a South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) meeting called up to discuss about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Raja told reporters at Chennai airport that Centre would extend all assistance to state governments to combat SARS.

Members of the public need not be afraid of SARS as it was a curable disease, he said.

PTI