The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, visited Tuen Mun District today (December 12) to inspect healthcare and rehabilitation facilities there and meet with members of Tuen Mun District Council (TMDC).
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Tuen Mun), Ms Aubrey Fung, Professor Chan visited the Providence Garden for Rehab, an integrated rehabilitation service unit under Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Limited. She talked to staff and therapists to learn about their services.
 
     The Providence Garden for Rehab, which opened in 2006, is the first large-scale rehabilitation building complex in Hong Kong to provide all-round rehabilitation services for a total of about 1 000 ex-mentally ill persons, persons with varying degrees of intellectual disability and severely physically handicapped persons. The centre helps them to re-integrate into the community as early as possible after their recovery, which is achieved through inter-disciplinary collaboration. 
 
     Professor Chan said that the Government attaches great importance to the mental health of the public. The Advisory Committee on Mental Health was established last month to assist the Government in developing policies, strategies and measures to enhance mental health services in Hong Kong. The Committee will also follow up on and monitor the implementation of the recommendations made by the Mental Health Review Report.
 
     Professor Chan then proceeded to the General Out-patient Clinic and the Student Health Service Centre of Tuen Mun Clinic to observe their daily operations. She talked to users of the clinic and listened to their views on the medical services provided in the district. She also took the opportunity to encourage them to receive flu vaccination in preparation for the winter influenza season.
 
     Before concluding the visit, Professor Chan met with the Chairman of the TMDC, Mr Leung Kin-man, the Vice Chairman of the TMDC, Mr Lee Hung-sham, and TMDC members to solicit to their views on healthcare and environmental hygiene issues in the district.

Ends/Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Issued at HKT 20:18

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