The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, and the Under Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Chui Tak-yi, visited Southern District today (August 29), where they met with members of Southern District Council (SDC) and inspected healthcare and food testing facilities there.
      
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Southern), Mrs Dorothy Ma, Professor Chan and Dr Chui first met with the SDC chairman Dr Chu Ching-hong, vice-chairman Mr Chan Fu-ming, and other SDC members to listen to their views on various local issues.
      
     Professor Chan and Dr Chui then visited Grantham Hospital (GH), where they were briefed by the Hospital Chief Executive, Dr Pang Fei-chau, on the hospital’s latest situation and redevelopment plan in the coming years. They also visited the specialist outpatient service of Lo Fong Shiu Po Eye Centre at GH and exchanged views with healthcare professionals.
      
     Professor Chan noted that the Government and the Hospital Authority have devised an overall hospital development plan with a view to meeting the future medical service demand of an aging population, and that GH is included in the 10-year Hospital Development Plan. The quality and quantity of in-patient and ambulatory care service provided by GH will be enhanced after redevelopment.
 
     In addition, they visited the Food Safety and Quality Group of the Government Laboratory (GL) and toured the testing laboratory to deepen their understanding of the food testing procedures.
      
     At present, the GL provides food analysis and related professional advisory services, principally for the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Located in Pokfulam, the Food Safety Laboratory mainly examines the trace levels of veterinary drug and pesticide residues in imported and locally produced foods such as vegetables, fruits, milk, aquatic products and meats.

Ends/Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:31

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