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The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, will start his three-day visit programme in Sichuan tomorrow (April 10) to inspect a number of reconstruction medical projects funded by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in quake-stricken areas. He will also take the opportunity to meet with local government health officials.
Dr Chow will see for himself the progress of reconstruction at the Mianyang City Chinese Medicine Hospital and the Mianyang City Central Hospital in Chengdu tomorrow. The two hospitals were severely damaged in an earthquake in 2008.
In the morning of April 11, Dr Chow will officiate at the completion ceremony for the Zitong County People's Hospital. Seriously damaged in the earthquake, the hospital comprises a new in-patient and out-patient complex, providing internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics and traumatology, paediatrics, and rehabilitation services. It provides 300 medical beds to cater for around 390,000 residents in Zitong County and its peripheral areas.
Dr Chow will also visit the Zitong County Chinese Medicine Hospital, where a new in-patient block will provide 200 medical beds when completed.
In the morning of April 12, Dr Chow will call on the Sichuan Provincial Department of Health to learn more about the latest developments in medical and health services there and to discuss issues of mutual concern with relevant officials. He will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon.
Ends/Monday, April 9, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:01
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