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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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