************************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Regarding the services of the Designated Clinics and the Special Assessment Centres, the Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson provided the following update today (February 3):
The Designated Clinics today (as at 5pm) provided initial assessments to 37 patients. Patients who require further assessment and treatment have been referred to the Special Assessment Centres (SACs), which attended to 38 patients today. A total of 55,987 attendances and 27,063 assessments have been reported at the Designated Clinics and SACs respectively since they began operations on September 23, 2008.
The clinics and SACs will be in operation for at least six months and as long as there is demand for the service. Children who could not be assessed at the Designated Clinics on the same day of attendance will be given the earliest possible appointment in the following days. In the coming three days, a total of around five appointments have already been made at the Designated Clinics.
So far, the HA has reported 14 cases of renal problems suspected to be related to the consumption of melamine tainted milk products.
The HA reiterated that the free screening service was a contingency arrangement with its prime focus on local children who had an "eligible person" status. Other patients will be referred to private healthcare providers to reserve adequate capacity for locals.
Ends/Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:25
NNNN
