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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
A newly established Toxicology Training Centre in United Christian Hospital (UCH) is the first of its kind in Hong Kong, providing clinical toxicology training to health care professionals. In collaboration with various medical institutions, the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine and universities, the centre aims at enhancing the quality of clinical toxicology training in Hong Kong in a systematic approach.
The opening ceremony of the Toxicology Training Centre was held today (March 10). Officiating guests included Under Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Gabriel Leung; Chairman of UCH Hospital Governing Committee, Professor Tam Sheung-wai; and Cluster Chief Executive of Kowloon East Cluster and UCH Hospital Chief Executive, Dr Luk Che-chung.
Director of UCH Toxicology Training Centre, Dr Lau Fei-lung, said there were more than 4,300 poisoning cases reported to the Hospital Authority Hong Kong Poison Information Centre (HKPIC) in 2009, representing a rise of 7% comparing to that in the previous year (2008). Among the cases, 33 finally succumbed.
"The actual number of fatal cases of poisoning is far more than the cases reported to HKPIC as most of the poisoning patients died before being admitted to hospitals. Their actual cause of death can only be confirmed by the Coroner," he said. According to the data collected from the Coroner in 2007, more than 400 of those fatal cases related to poisoning.
"The increasing trend of poisoning cases reflects the necessity for the development and enhancement of clinical toxicology training in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Poison Information Centre has been providing toxicology training, poisoning consultation and treatment since its establishment in 2005. The opening of the UCH Toxicology Training Centre today is aimed at enhancing training in toxicology for improving the quality of poisoning treatment in Hong Kong," Dr Lau said.
More than 1,000 health care professionals have received clinical toxicology training in the past five years and more than 100 doctors have been awarded Clinical Toxicology Certificates or Diplomas. Poisoning treatment teams were set up after the trained health care professionals returned to their departments to strengthen the capability of treating poisoning patients in hospitals. In addition, more than 30 publications were contributed by the doctors of the UCH Toxicology Training Centre in collaboration with the trained health care professionals in the past few years.
The newly established UCH Toxicology Training Centre and the HKPIC will continue to provide comprehensive poison consultation, treatment and clinical toxicology training service for health care professionals and the public of Hong Kong. The aim is for it to become a centre of excellence in toxicology in Asia.
Ends/Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:25
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