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The government announced today (April 1) that the Deputy Director of Health, Dr Leung Pak-yin, had been appointed as Controller, Centre for Health Protection with effect from April 1, 2004.

On February 27, 2004, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved the creation of a new post on April 1, 2004, to head the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) to be set up within the Department of Health

Commenting on Dr Leung's appointment the Director of Health, Dr PY Lam, said, "Dr Leung has a broad range of administrative experience. He has sound professional knowledge in public health and is well established among health care professionals locally and internationally. With his experience in dealing with the SARS outbreak last year, I am confident that he will be able to lead the newly set up Centre for Health Protection for effective prevention and control of diseases in Hong Kong."

The Chief Executive announced in May, 2003, that the government had begun a study on establishing a CDC-like organisation in Hong Kong to fight and prevent infectious diseases. The SARS Expert Committee echoed this initiative and recommended the setting up of a CHP within the government to strengthen its capacity to prevent and control communicable diseases. With the appointment of the Controller, CHP, it is expected that the CHP can commence operation in June, 2004 with all the functional elements to become fully operational in 2005.

The following is the biographical note on Dr Leung:

Dr Leung Pak-yin , JP

Aged 45, Dr Leung joined the Hong Kong Civil Service as a Medical and Health Officer in 1985. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Health in 1996 and to Deputy Director of Health in 2002. As Deputy Director of Health, he was responsible for the provision of promotive and preventive health services for different groups of the population such as the elderly, students, women of child bearing age and children from birth to five years. He also supervised the prevention and control of communicable as well as non-communicable diseases. He was one of the key persons responsible for coordinating epidemiological investigations during the SARS outbreak last year. Since October, 2003, Dr Leung has been tasked with the responsibility of co-ordinating the planning and preparatory work for the setting up of the Centre for Health Protection.

Ends/Thursday, April 1, 2004

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