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A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said today (February 8) that the service hours of the 24-hour special hotline (3142 2288) set up by the Government to stabilise supply of formula products for infants and young children will be adjusted to operate between 7am and midnight starting from tomorrow (February 9).
The spokesman said that as a result of a supply chain failure in the market, the Government announced on February 1 the setting up of a special hotline service as a short-term measure. The purpose of the special hotline is to ensure that local parents are able to secure the purchase of formula products, thereby protecting the health of their infants and young children. The special hotline is operated 24 hours a day by staff of the Efficiency Unit. Local parents of infants and young children under 3 years of age who are unable to purchase the seven major brands of formula products at the retail level or through the suppliers' hotlines may ring this special hotline to make purchase orders. The purchase orders received will be referred to the relevant suppliers.
The special hotline came into operation at 6pm on February 1. Up till midnight of February 7, a total of 5 734 calls have been received, and 3 167 purchase orders have been referred to the seven suppliers concerned.
"For all parents who placed purchase orders for the seven major brands of formula products between February 1 and 3 via the special hotline, the suppliers have lived up to their pledge of making deliveries before the Chinese New Year. This has allayed the concern of the parents," the spokesman said.
"Since the number of calls received by the Government special hotline during the period after midnight has significantly decreased and remains at a low level, the service hours of the special hotline will be adjusted to operate between 7am and midnight starting from tomorrow."
The spokesman emphasised that the existing services of major suppliers of formula products, including the customer hotlines and online services, are the most direct channels through which local parents may order formula products. The special hotline set up by the Government serves as a safety net to provide assistance to and reassure local parents who are unable to obtain formula products due to various reasons.
"The special hotline is only a short-term measure adopted in the wake of a supply chain failure in the market. Once the supply returns to normal, the service will be cancelled. We will continue to closely monitor the supply of formula products in the market," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, February 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:29
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