Press Releases
SFH meets with Minister of Health
The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, today (Geneva time, May 18) met
with the Chinese Minister of Health, Dr Chen Zhu, in Geneva to discuss medical
rescue work after Sichuan earthquake.
Dr Chow said that he was deeply saddened by the vast devastation and the high
death toll caused by the earthquake, adding that the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government would try its best in rendering
assistance to the earthquake rescue work.
Dr Chow said: "Immediately after the earthquake, the Food and Health Bureau has
been keeping close contacts with the Ministry of Health to stand ready to offer
whatever support to the medical rescue work."
The four-member medical assessment team fielded by the Hospital Authority (HA)
to Sichuan had reached agreement with Huaxi Hospital in Chengdu. Another 19
healthcare professionals from HA will be sent to Huaxi Hospital to provide
supporting and disaster clinical psychology counselling services there.
Microbiologists from Hong Kong will join the work in preventing outbreak of
infectious diseases in the quake-affected areas.
Dr Chow added that at the request of the Ministry of Health, the Department of
Health (DH), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Water Supplies
Department were now arranging staff to Sichuan to assist in health infection and
disinfection.
Also listed in the meeting with Dr Chen Zhu were the Ambassador of China to the
United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organisations in
Switzerland, Mr Li Baodong, and the representatives from Hong Kong and Macao
under the Chinese delegation to the World Health Assembly.
The Chinese delegation led Dr Chen will attend the Sixty-first World Health
Assembly to be held in Geneva tomorrow (Geneva time, May 19).
Ends/Sunday, May 18, 2008
Issued at HKT 22:35
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