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The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Cheung, visited the Department of Health (DH) today (October 6) to learn more about the work of the department and to take the opportunity to meet its staff.
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Thomas Chow, Mr Cheung first met with the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, and the directorate staff. He was pleased to learn that the DH is committed to safeguarding the health of the people of Hong Kong through promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services as well as fostering community partnership and international collaboration.
Mr Cheung started with a tour of the Non-Communicable Disease Division under the Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH. He was briefed by the officer-in-charge on the surveillance activities conducted on non-communicable disease as well as the planning and implementation of prevention and control programmes. He also met with frontline staff to better understand their daily work.
Later, Mr Cheung visited the Drug Office, which was re-organised from the Pharmaceutical Service in September 2011. The office acts as the law enforcement agency over the legislation concerning Western medicines. Briefed by office staff, Mr Cheung learned that the Drug Office is responsible for market surveillance of medicines and sampling of products for analysis as well as the institution of prosecutions against offenders. The office also handles the regulation of drug traders, drug registration and clinical trial applications, import and export control of drugs and the procurement and dispensing of medicines at the department's clinics.
During his visit, Mr Cheung met with staff representatives of various grades at a tea gathering to exchange views on relevant departmental issues. He praised the efforts of staff members and encouraged them to continue to provide high-quality, efficient and professional services to the public.
Ends/Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:38
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