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Following is a transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, after attending a public function this morning (October 7):
Reporter: How will the Hospital Authority follow up on the incident (a complaint involving the death of a 13-year-old boy at Tuen Mun Hospital) as the family blamed the hospital for using surgery as teaching practicing?
Secretary for Food and Health: As far as I know, this is a very complicated operation that requires very sophisticated technique and monitoring during the operation, particularly with anaesthetic and post-operation support. As far as the expertise goes, this was done by an international expert together with our local ones. So, I do not think there is any problem with the expertise as required. But whether the procedure itself has gone into any untoward and unnatural event, I do not know because I do not have the report yet. I do not actually have the analysis of the report so far. The Hospital Authority has engaged external expertise including expert from overseas to assess the operation concerned. I think this will help the family to understand the cause of death of the boy. At the same time, the case would go into the Coroner's Court eventually and the cause of death would be able to be fully investigated.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, October 7, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:12
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