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Following is a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (April 24):
Question:
Some Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) employed by the Department of Health (DH) on Non-Civil Service Contract (NCSC) terms have told me that while they are responsible for conducting health surveillance on travellers at immigration control points (control points), facilities for sterilising uniforms have not been made available to them at various control points. They worry that in case of an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or other epidemics, they will be the first to bear the brunt of being infected, and the work of preventing the import of epidemics into Hong Kong will thus be affected. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether DH has considered providing front-line personnel, e.g. HSAs, etc., responsible for epidemic prevention work with facilities for bathing and sterilising uniforms at control points, so as to avoid their spreading the bacteria after they are infected, and to protect their health; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(b) given that conducting temperature checks on travellers by HSAs at control points is a measure adopted on the recommendation of the World Health Organization, and therefore such a task does not meet the condition of being "time-limited, seasonal, or subject to market fluctuations" (one of the conditions to be met by government departments intending to recruit NCSC staff), whether the Government has considered converting the HSA posts to civil service posts, so as to facilitate the conduct of steady and effective epidemic prevention; if not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The Department of Health (DH) attaches great importance to the occupational safety and health of its staff. Having regard that Health Surveillance Assistants (HSA) and Health Surveillance Supervisors (HSS) are likely to have direct contact with travellers suspected of having infectious diseases when they conduct daily health surveillance at boundary control points, DH provides all newly recruited HSAs and HSSs with induction training which covers temperature checks and screening, infection control and handling of infectious diseases, etc. HSSs at boundary control points also frequently provide frontline staff with practical and refresher training on infection control as well as wearing and removing personal protective clothing. Information about infection control is also circulated regularly to ensure that staff are familiar with the health surveillance measures.
In addition, DH also provides its health surveillance staff with adequate and appropriate personal protective equipment including masks, gloves, disposable gowns and caps, eye protection, antiseptic handrub, etc. Staff who may need to have direct contact with travellers put on the appropriate personal protective equipment prior to conducting temperature checks and health assessments for travellers, in accordance with the established screening practice.
In all, DH has considered the prevailing risk and provides its health surveillance staff with adequate training, guidelines and disposable personal protective equipment, to ensure their work safety in handling travellers suspected of infectious diseases. At present, DH does not require its staff to take a shower or use exceptional methods to disinfect their uniforms when they go off duty.
(b) Under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO), members are required to assess their national public health capacity to meet IHR core capacity requirements. The requirements do not include the provision of temperature checks at boundary control points. With regard to the recent cases of novel coronavirus and avian influenza infections, the WHO has not advised members to adopt special screening at points of entry. As regards the work on disease prevention and control in Hong Kong, current port health measures were formulated and put in place by DH with reference to the risk assessment on the situation in our neighbouring countries and regions. These measures are subject to review and adjustment as and when necessary. On the issue of manpower requirement, DH is now reviewing the provision and operational needs of health surveillance services at various boundary control points, with a view to deciding the best service delivery practice.
Ends/Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:40
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