Press Releases
SHWF visits North District
The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, this morning (July 16)
visited a number of facilities in North District to keep abreast of the latest
developments in services provided under his portfolio.
He also took the opportunity to listen to the views of frontline staff on
service improvements in the district.
Dr Chow began his itinerary by visiting the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse where he
observed the slaughtering and dressing processes of food animals -- from
electrical stunning, bleeding, rinsing, scalding, de-hairing, evisceration,
inspection to marking.
He learned that health inspectors of the Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department conducted ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections at the
slaughterhouse to ensure that all food animals were fit for human consumption.
Only animal carcasses and offal which have passed the meat inspections will be
marked with a "Government Inspected" chop and released for sale in the market.
Dr Chow then proceeded to the joint Police/Customs checkpoint at Chung Yung
Street of Sha Tau Kok where he was briefed on the authorities' work against meat
smuggling.
Later, Dr Chow visited the accident and emergency department and orthopaedic and
traumatology ward of the North District Hospital where he listened to the views
of patients and health care workers on suggestions to improve services. He also
took part in a forum attended by more than 100 staff of the New Territories East
Hospital clusters to gain a better understanding of their concerns.
Before ending his visit, Dr Chow attended a tea gathering which was attended by
the chairman of the North District Council, Mr Li Kwok-fung, and other DC
members to exchange views on local health, welfare and hygiene issues.
Ends/Saturday, July 16, 2005
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