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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health will conduct an interdepartmental exercise tomorrow (June 6) to assess the overall preparedness and response of the Government and related organisations to public health incidents during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events.
The objective of Exercise Equator is to validate interdepartmental procedures and contingency plans on public health incidents during the equestrian events and to further enhance co-ordination and co-operation among government departments.
Ground movement capacity including field investigation, management of patients at the Olympic Village clinic and transfer of patients to hospital will be tested.
More than 100 participants from the related government departments and organisations will take part in the exercise.
Representatives from government departments and local organisations as well as experts from the Mainland Ministry of Health and Beijing Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention will attend the exercise as observers.
A spokesman for CHP said the exercise could strengthen interdepartmental communication and enhance ability of frontline staff in handling public health incidents during the events.
Ends/Thursday, June 5, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:04
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