Press Releases
Enhancement of Infection Control Facilities in the Public Hospital System
The inter-departmental Working Group on Hospital Authority (HA) Isolation Facilities under the chairmanship of Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food (PSHWF), Mrs Carrie Yau Tsang Ka-lai, today (August 19) recommended that works be carried out in all acute public hospitals to enhance their facilities for handling confirmed and suspected severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients.
In its fourth meeting to further discuss measures to enhance the existing infection control facilities in the public hospital system, the working group had endorsed the HA's proposal to carry out improvement works at nine major acute public hospitals to prepare for the possible resurgence of SARS later in the year in Hong Kong.
These nine hospitals are: Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital and United Christian Hospital.
The works would include creation of negative pressure gradient in wards, provision of 100 per cent fresh air supply and dilution of bioload in sufficient air change rates, installation of high efficiency particulate air filters to filter out droplets and aerosols, and the provision of en-suite toilet/shower facilities in ward cubicles where building structure and existing building services installations permit.
We had made reference to the recommendations of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and HA's expert groups that handled SARS as well as other international standards to come up with the design of the isolation facilities. Figure one illustrates the diagrammatic layout of an isolation room that meets the highest infection control standard.
Upon completion of works, the nine hospitals would provide a total of about 520 rooms with about 1 290 beds for isolation purpose.
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council had approved funding of $409.6 million last month for carrying out the improvement works. The works have commenced and are expected to complete before the coming winter.
Apart from the nine hospitals, HA would also carry out minor improvement works in the remaining five acute public hospitals, namely, Caritas Medical Centre, Ruttonjee Hospital, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, North District Hospital and Yan Chai Hospital, to provide at least 10 isolation rooms each for handling SARS patients before the coming winter.
The recent SARS outbreak revealed that there is a need to enhance and expand the infection control facilities in the public hospital system. Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB) set up an inter-departmental working group under the chairmanship of PSHWF in June, with representatives from HWFB, HA, Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, Department of Health, Architectural Services Department, Planning Department and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, to study various options to further enhance the existing infection control facilities in the public hospital system.
End/Tuesday, August 19, 2003
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