*************************************************

Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in response to the report by the Legislative Council's Select Committee to inquire into the handling of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak by the Government and the Hospital Authority at a stand-up media session at the Conference Hall, first floor, Central Government Offices New Annexe today (July 5):

The Legislative Council's Select Committee which led the inquiry into the handling of the SARS outbreak has just released its report. We will study the contents of the report in detail. However, I would like to make a few initial comments here.

First, I would like to sincerely thank the Select Committee for its work in conducting this inquiry within a short period of time. Over the past eight months, the Government has co-operated fully with the Select Committee to facilitate its work.

As I said in the committee's open hearings, during the SARS outbreak we faced an unknown disease that struck us with a magnitude and speed unprecedented in modern history. Many lessons have been learnt. I accept responsibility fully as a Principal Official. I offer my deepest and most sincere apology to the people of Hong Kong, to the deceased and their family members, to individuals who became infected and to all health care workers for the inadequacies of the health care system that were exposed during the early days of the outbreak, and for any misunderstandings that I might have caused in communicating with the public.

We accept that, with the benefit of hindsight, certain things could have been done better, especially in the early days of the outbreak. However, I also wish to point out that SARS was a new disease about which the world initially knew very little. In such an environment, the Department of Health, the Hospital Authority, Government departments and colleagues in the health care sector worked tirelessly and selflessly around the clock to bring this hitherto unknown disease under control. The SARS experience has been a humbling one for all of us involved in the battle. We had to build a higher dam to stop an unprecedented flood while fighting to contain the deluge. I thank them all from the bottom of my heart. I believe all the health care workers who have contributed to the fight against SARS deserve the community's recognition for their dedication to duty.

Both the Prince of Wales Hospital and the Princess Margaret Hospital were hard hit by SARS. However, despite the extremely difficult and stressful situation they confronted at the time, all health care workers and management did not waver from their dedication to duty. I believe the community appreciates the wholly exceptional circumstances they faced and their contributions.

Finally, I would like to reiterate that as a Principal Official, I accept fully the responsibility for the inadequacies of our health care system in the battle against this unknown and ferocious disease in the early days of the epidemic. Last October, when I responded to the report by the SARS Expert Committee appointed by the Chief Executive, I pledged that I would assimilate the lessons learnt from SARS; do all I can to improve the health care system to protect public health; and ensure that the system is fully prepared to tackle SARS and any other infectious diseases of such scale and magnitude. Over the past year, the recommendations made in the SARS Expert Committee Report have been implemented and stringent measures adopted to prevent avian flu and the resurgence of SARS. The work won recognition from international health experts and the World Health Organisation, and helped protect us from possible SARS and avian flu attacks this year.

I pledge to continue to commit myself fully to my duties. I will listen to the views of the Legislative Council and other sectors of the community and study carefully the views expressed in the Report of the Select Committee. I will continue to review the structure and organisation of our public health care system in order to enhance Hong Kong's capability to prevent and control infectious diseases.

Ends/Monday, July 5, 2004

NNNN

( Floor / Cantonese / Putonghua / English )