The Leader of the Mainland Chinese medicine expert group of the Central Authorities, Mr Tong Xiaolin, today (March 29) led a delegation of Chinese medicine (CM) experts from the Mainland to Hong Kong for field visits and offering support in Hong Kong's fight against the epidemic.
The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Deputy Director-General, the Coordination Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Zhang Qiang; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, welcomed the delegation at the Shenzhen Bay Port this morning.
Mrs Lam said, "I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Central Authorities for sending the fourth batch of medical experts from the Mainland to Hong Kong to support the anti-epidemic work in the HKSAR. They are all experts in the field of CM, and have been promoting the application of CM in numerous Mainland provinces and cities during the epidemic. I hope that the Chinese medicine expert team can give us more insights in terms of direction and policy on the overall application of CM in combatting the epidemic in Hong Kong, so as to further utilise CM in areas of treatment, rehabilitation and health maintenance."
In the afternoon, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr John Lee; Professor Chan; Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), Mr Thomas Chan; and representatives of the Department of Health and the HA had a meeting with the CM expert team at the Central Government Offices. The HKSAR Government gave the support team an introduction on the development of CM in Hong Kong, the overview of the regulatory framework and the work progress of leveraging CM in fighting the epidemic. The two sides had a thorough discussion on the local epidemic situation and how to bring the benefits and usage of CM into full play, with a view to further enhancing Hong Kong's capacity and efficiency in epidemic prevention and control work.
Mr Lee said, "I warmly welcome and am grateful for the CM expert team's visit and for giving us support in containing the epidemic situation. CM has its strength in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation on COVID-19. The arrival of the CM expert team brings here their expertise and clinical experience in combatting the epidemic, boosting Hong Kong's confidence in containing the epidemic and extending to Hong Kong the deepest care by the nation. The HKSAR Government accords high priority to the visit of the expert team and will make the most appropriate arrangement so as to seize the chance in learning as much as possible their experience in applying CM to anti-epidemic efforts and in conducting exchanges with the team."
Professor Chan said, "Under the support of the Food and Health Bureau (FHB), the HA is providing various CM services, including the Special CM Programme for COVID-19 In-patients at community isolation facilities (CIFs)/the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, distribution of proprietary CMs in CIFs and a free tele-advice service for CM related enquiries, the Special CM Out-patient Programme for discharged patients/persons, who have completed isolation, in the Chinese Medicine Clinics cum Training and Research Centres in 18 districts across the city. The HA also enlisted CM service providers to take part in the Chinese Medicine Services for Residential Care Homes for the Elderly programme to provide distance Chinese medical consultation service or outreach Chinese medical service for infected residents and staff.
"Furthermore, in view of the fact that vast majority of the CM resources are in the local private market, the FHB earlier called on the sector to mobilise manpower and resources for the anti-epidemic work. There were overwhelming responses from the sector with various distance Chinese medical consultation services launched for different recipients who will be delivered with required medicines when practicable. The FHB also rolled out a special support scheme through the Chinese Medicine Development Fund to subsidise CM practitioners to provide free telemedicine service and delivery service of CM to those tested positive with COVID-19 and staying at home," Professor Chan added.
Leader of the group Mr Tong Xiaolin is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The deputy group leader, Professor Zhang Zhongde, led a group of Mainland healthcare workers to Hong Kong earlier to provide support. He is also the Vice-president of the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and the Deputy Chief of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The other five members of the expert group include the Chief Chinese medicine practitioner of the Xiyuan Hospital of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Professor Miao Qing; the Chief Chinese medicine practitioner of the Shuguang Hospital affiliated to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professor Zhang Wei; the Chief Chinese medicine practitioner of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professor Zou Xu; the Associate Chief Chinese medicine practitioner of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dr Zhang Ruizhi; and the Attending Chinese medicine practitioner of Guang'anmen Hospital of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dr Li Xiuyang.
In the coming days, the expert group will visit the treatment facilities related to CM for fighting the epidemic, and meet with local CM stakeholders and experts, with a view to gaining a better understanding of how CM works in Hong Kong with regard to aspects such as epidemic containment and treatment, and offering appropriate guidance.
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