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Speech by CE at opening ceremony of Hospital Authority Convention 2013 (English only) (with photo/video)
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     Following is the speech delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, at the opening ceremony of the Hospital Authority Convention 2013 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning (May 15):

Vice Minister Sun (Vice Minister of National Health and Family Planning Commission, Mr Sun Zhigang), Anthony (Chairman of Hospital Authority, Mr Anthony Wu), Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

     This conference and the attendance of over 4,000 experts from different parts of the world again underlines Hong Kong's unique and important role as the information and knowledge exchange of China in the international community. Thank you for organising this and thank you for attending.

     It is my great pleasure to congratulate the Hospital Authority (HA) on organising this Convention, and to welcome all our guests from the Mainland and overseas.

     Ten years have passed since the SARS outbreak. During SARS, Hong Kong people faced some of the city's darkest days. The whole community came together to overcome the crisis. As we look back on this period we also remember the heroics of our medical profession.

     The lessons learned from the SARS period have not only made Hong Kong a safer place but, by sharing our experience, communities around the world are now more enlightened and better able to tackle or prevent similar outbreaks.

     Today, we are facing the threat of human cases of avian influenza A virus, H7N9 and Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus. While we should never be complacent in dealing with, or preparing for such potential outbreaks, we can be more confident in the ability of our healthcare professionals to contain the danger.

     The theme of this year's HA Convention, "Consolidating HealthcAre" is about pooling resources and knowledge to better serve the public, not just in times of crisis but also in the essential day-to-day services provided by our healthcare professionals.

     It is true to say that the provision of medical and health services is of special significance to each and every person in that this is the service which is relevant to everyone throughout his or her lifetime. I place great emphasis on our healthcare services. During the election campaign, I spent more time discussing with the healthcare sector than any other sectors.

     The basic premise of a medical and health policy is that medical services should be accessible to everyone without regard to the individual's social status or economic background.

     We take pride in our highly efficient and effective healthcare system. With the concerted efforts of all involved, we have developed a dual-track healthcare system, public and private. The public sector serves as the cornerstone of this system to ensure that everyone has access to the services and care they need.

     The Hospital Authority is responsible for managing 41 public hospitals and institutions with over 27,000 beds and over 120 general and specialist outpatient clinics. Its commitment to providing affordable, accessible and quality healthcare services to the entire community is one of our city's great strengths.

     Consolidating healthcare requires a close partnership between the HKSAR Government and the Hospital Authority.

     The Government invests heavily in the healthcare system, both in terms of hardware and software. During the current financial year, recurrent Government expenditure on medical and health services will rise to HK$49 billion (US$6.3 billion), or nearly HK$7,000 (US$870) per capita. This expenditure in a city that is renowned for its low tax rates speaks volumes about the government's commitment to healthcare.

     This financial commitment will help us cope with increasing demand for medical services, and especially the demand for services of the HA. This includes providing more hospital beds, expanding the capacity of out-patient clinics and coping with the medical challenges of an ageing population.

     New and upgraded hospitals, including the North Lantau Hospital and the Tseung Kwan O Hospital Expansion, will begin service in the near future.

     On the software front, our healthcare manpower is the most important asset we have.

     We are reviewing manpower planning and professional development, with a view to ensuring the healthy and sustainable development of our healthcare system. We are increasing medical training places in tertiary institutions and providing more opportunities for on-the-job professional training. We will continue our efforts in attracting more talents to serve the community through the public healthcare sector, and strengthen the training of young graduates and medical specialists.

     At times of major incidents and outbreaks of infection, the HA plays a vital role in the local crisis response mechanism. Today, there are over 1,400 isolation beds in 15 acute hospitals under the Hospital Authority. We have set up isolation wards specially designed to maximise performance in infection control. Most importantly, we do our best to ensure that our frontline staff are adequately protected with necessary equipment in times of epidemics.

     Since 1993, the HA Convention has brought together leaders in different fields of the healthcare industry from around the world. This year is no exception.

     Through the sharing sessions of this Convention, we look to you, the experts, for new ideas and guidance on ways to optimise the delivery of services to meet the healthcare needs of our community in future.

     I would like to thank the HA for its unswerving contribution to the health and well-being of our community since 1990. I wish all the distinguished speakers and our guests from around the world a fruitful HA Convention and an enjoyable stay in Hong Kong.

     Thank you very much.

Ends/Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Issued at HKT 10:09

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