Press Releases
Dutch and HK officials share experiences in control of animal diseases and food safety(with photos)
Officials from the Netherlands and Hong Kong responsible for animal health and
food safety met today (November 18) in Hong Kong to share their experience in
the control of animal diseases which may affect human and food safety.
The Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mrs Carrie Yau, received
the Director-General of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food
Quality, Mrs Renee Bergkamp, at a private session in which they expressed their
concern about the recent global outbreak of avian influenza.
Mrs Bergkamp's portfolio covers food and consumer affairs, animal health and
welfare and chain cooperation in the agri-cluster.
Noting the Netherlands has always been a close partner of Hong Kong in areas
such as food safety, infectious disease control of human and animals and in
information technology, Mrs Yau said the meeting was a constructive one as
valuable information was exchanged, in particular, on the prevention of avian
influenza.
She also noted that Hong Kong had learned a lot from the Netherlands' experience
in central slaughtering facilities and from their computer system on infectious
diseases in the past.
"The Director-General and I share the view that governments should prepare
policy briefs on infectious diseases to communicate with the public and enhance
their awareness, ability and action in the prevention and protection against
infectious diseases.
"Both of us agree that the control of avian influenza requires co-operation
between different government institutions responsible for agriculture and for
public health, national and international research institutions, and
multilateral organisations.
"In Hong Kong, we treasure our experience learned from the SARS (severe acute
respiratory syndrome) outbreak and we have adopted the multi-discipline, cross-sectoral
approach to prevent infectious diseases and influenza pandemic," she said.
Mrs Yau also stressed that international collaboration would be important in the
control of avian influenza so that expertise and resources could be pooled to
curb the spread of the disease.
Mrs Bergkamp shared Mrs Yau's view that a concerted effort would be needed from
the community in view of the recent global outbreak of avian influenza and said:
"Only a well-organised and concerted action for eradication and prevention
across the region can reduce risks and restore trade relations."
Expressing her concern about the global outbreak of avian influenza, she said:
"Humans can become infected by close contact with infected birds, and open
markets are our major concern."
Following the meeting, Mrs Bergkamp joined her delegation for a meeting with
officials from the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau; the Food and Environmental
Hygiene Department; Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department; and the
Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health to further discuss
prevention and quarantine issues related to animal diseases and avian influenza.
Also present at the meeting was the Consul-General Mr Jan Revis. The Chief
Veterinary Officer of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food
Quality, Dr Peter Leeuw, introduced the quarantine issues faced by the
Netherlands during animal disease outbreaks. The Deputy Secretary for the
Health, Welfare and Food, Mr Eddy Chan, briefed the Netherlands delegation on
Hong Kong's preventive and control measures to prevent avian influenza outbreaks
among poultry in Hong Kong.
Ends/Friday, November 18, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:41
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(Photo 1)
(Photo 2)