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The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, visited Central and Western District this afternoon (February 28) to see for himself the fixed-pitch hawker stall facilities and dental care services in the district, and to exchange views with District Councillors on matters under the purview of the Food and Health Bureau.
Accompanied by the District Officer (Wan Chai), Miss Cheryl Chow, and the Chairman of the Central and Western District Council, Mr Yip Wing-shing, Dr Ko first inspected the fixed-pitch hawker areas on Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West to learn more about the implementation progress of the Assistance Scheme for Hawkers in Fixed-pitch Hawker Areas under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Noting that the assistance scheme aims to reduce the fire risk and improve the fire safety standards of hawker stalls, Dr Ko said he understood that some hawkers at these two fixed-pitch hawker areas needed to reconstruct or relocate their stalls due to concerns about fire safety. Dr Ko expressed his gratitude to the hawkers for their co-operation so that the scheme could be rolled out smoothly.
Dr Ko then visited the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Community Dental Clinic in Sheung Wan, the first community dental clinic outside a hospital setting that provides comprehensive dental treatment and oral health-care services. The clinic has also set up an outreach dental service team to provide free basic dental and oral health-care services to elderly people residing in the designated residential care homes or receiving services in the designated day care centres in the district. The outreach dental service team provided services for more than 3 200 senior citizens in the district from April 2013 to January 2014.
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Before concluding his visit, Dr Ko met with Central and Western District Councillors to listen to their concerns and suggestions on medical and environmental hygiene issues in the district.
Ends/Friday, February 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:40
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