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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, after attending the Ninth Joint Meeting of Senior Health Officials of the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao held in Hong Kong this afternoon (January 28):
Secretary for Food and Health: Today we have the Joint Meeting of Senior Health Officials of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao. We have discussed a variety of issues, particularly relating to healthcare reform, regulation of medicine, as well as promotion and development of Chinese medicine. We have also touched on other subjects relating to the co-operation of the tripartite governments as well as progress of our healthcare reforms in future. The ministers have also mentioned about the progress of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). Since its introduction, there are increasing investments of Hong Kong healthcare organisations in Guangdong.
Reporter: (on the increasing number of influenza cases)
Secretary for Food and Health: Hong Kong is stepping into the peak of the influenza season this winter. We expect that the peak will last for at least six to eight weeks, that means this will at least last until the end of February. The main concern is whether there will be increasing number of hospital admissions and complications. As far as the virus is concerned, the virus we have isolated so far has no significant change in terms of its genetic make-ups. It is still the same H1N1 virus, the so-called swine flu virus that we encountered in 2009. This virus actually responds to all the anti-virals that we have stocked and the medicine we have prepared. The concern about the complications is regarding to the manpower and facilities in the various hospitals. We are monitoring the number of people that are admitted to the intensive care units in various hospitals and it was roughly between 15 and 20 everyday. And we expect this might climb up slightly in the coming weeks. But the number of people who have recovered from intensive care is also quite significant. I think the most important thing is that if we encounter any serious illness, we should admit them and treat them appropriately as soon as possible.
Reporter: (on opening of flu clinics)
Secretary for Food and Health: The reason why we had the influenza clinics in 2009 was that it was a new virus at that time. We are concerned whether it would be unpredictable and would change rapidly and so on. This is the reason why we need to segregate people in the clinics. But for influenza season, like every other season, the main thing is we should advise the public to look after themselves, and if necessary, we will look after them in the hospitals as appropriate. There is no indication for establishing special clinics at this moment of time because every time we establish those clinics, we will also sacrifice a lot of other services for non-influenza patients.
Reporter: (on manpower in public hospitals during the flu peak)
Secretary for Food and Health: All the hospitals have contingency plans regarding the management of upsurge of admissions. It is always a phenomenon, particularly during the Chinese New Year season and also because some of the private doctors are going on holiday, that we have more patients coming to our accident and emergency units and more admissions. The hospitals would make arrangement for particularly a few specialties to stay behind and expand its facilities if necessary, like the department of medicine, department of paediatrics and geriatric. This will require certain reserved staff to be stand-by and it is also relating to the management of the leaves of staff or encashment of the leaves.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, January 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:47
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