Press Releases
Consuls-general updated on HK's preparedness against avian influenza
The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, today (October 31)
briefed more than 50 consuls-general in Hong Kong on the Government's
preparedness for influenza pandemic and listened to their concerns in view of
the unprecedented outbreaks in different parts of the world.
In the briefing, Dr Chow assured that Hong Kong had been vigilantly preparing
for a possible influenza pandemic and had taken various measures to minimise the
risk of an outbreak of avian influenza.
The main aspects of the preparedness plan were early identification of the
pandemic outbreak; early treatment of patients; timely research on the emerging
virus; and sufficient public health measures to control human contact with the
virus, Dr Chow said.
He guaranteed that Hong Kong was trying its very best to inform everyone of what
was happening in Hong Kong and what information received from other places. He
assured that Hong Kong would be able to detect early infection within the
community and would help other places in the vicinity to establish their
diagnosis.
"We have a reasonably high standard of medical care and our laboratories are
well-equipped to detect viruses in a matter of hours. We have two World Health
Organisation's reference laboratories in Hong Kong, one in the Department of
Health and the other in the University of Hong Kong," he said.
Dr Chow felt that sharing of information and expertise within the region was
important.
"We are bound to help out each other as much as we can, such as strengthening
our infrastructure and enhancing our cooperation.
"If assistance is needed in contingency planning, Hong Kong stands ready to work
with our neighbours and international organisations," he said.
Also attending the briefing, the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and
Food, Mrs Carrie Yau, said the Government had put in place a three-level
response system for influenza pandemic, namely Alert Response Level, Serious
Response Level and Emergency Response Level.
These levels are based on different risk-graded epidemiological scenarios
relevant to Hong Kong, and each of them prescribes a given set of public health
actions required.
"The preparedness plan provides a clear command structure for strategic
decision-making, sets out distinct roles and responsibilities for different
parties and establishes line of command for launching various types of
operation," she said.
She told the consuls-general that the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare
and Food Bureau, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, and the Chief
Executive would be in command in alert response level, serious response level
and emergency response level respectively.
The Controller, Centre for Health Protection, Dr Leung Pak-yin; and Deputy
Director (Professional Services) of Hospital Authority, Dr Liu Shao-haei, also
attended the briefing.
Ends/Monday, October 31, 2005
Issued at HKT 19:34
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