Press Releases

Transcript of Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food on avian influenza

Following is a transcript of the remarks made by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, at a stand-up media session after visiting Yeung Uk Road Market in Tsuen Wan this afternoon (January 27):

Dr Yeoh: I just want to say that the purpose of today's visit is really to understand the difficulties and inconveniences that the trade is facing. In the context of our requirements that require poultry handlers to wear aprons, boots and gloves when they are slaughtering the chickens. Obviously there are some difficulties and inconveniences because when they wear thick gloves, it is very difficult to work flexibly. So the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has sourced some of the more flexible and thinner gloves which will do the purpose. So today, my purpose is really to introduce to the poultry handlers that there are alternatives which they could use. This will be important for them to protect themselves, to protect the public and to protect other people. This is basically good for the environmental hygiene and food hygiene to wear gloves when slaughtering chickens. I guess we need to do a lot of education, to advise and try to convince poultry handlers to follow our rules and regulations. This is only the first step. The colleagues from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will be following strictly our requirements in the future to make sure that they abide by the licensing provisions.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion)

Ends/Tuesday, January 27, 2004
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