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Author Archives: hksar gov

One-year countdown to 12th NGD and 9th NSOG and Hong Kong Paralympic Day 2024 (with photos/video)

     â€‹The 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) will be held on December 8 next year. To mark the one-year countdown to the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, as well as to kick off the annual Hong Kong Paralympic Day, the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO) and the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee (HKPC) held a ceremony for Hong Kong Paralympic Day 2024 and the one-year countdown campaign of the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG (Hong Kong) at the Hong Kong Sports Institute today (December 8).

     Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, stated that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been taking forward the preparatory work for the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, with the objectives of promoting sports co-operation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and fostering the spirit of Chinese sports. She noted that Hong Kong athletes will compete alongside national elites on the stage of the Greater Bay Area, providing Hong Kong people with the opportunity to watch the competitions in person. She expressed confidence that this will not only promote and enhance the development of sports in Hong Kong but also ignite public passion for sports and cultivate a “Sport for All” culture.

     Other officiating guests at the ceremony included the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ms Vivian Sum; the Head of the NGCO, Mr Yeung Tak-keung; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Sun Zhaomin; the Honorary President of the HKPC, Dr York Chow; the President of the HKPC, Mrs Jenny Fung; and the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Paralympic Day Organizing Committee 2024, Mr Keith Lui.

     Hong Kong Paralympic Day is an annual event for the disability sports community. Through sports demonstrations and sharing sessions by athletes, the event aims to raise public awareness, support, and recognition for disability sports; encourage people with disabilities to participate in sports activities and experience the joy of sports; and promote the spirit of disability inclusion. As this year’s Hong Kong Paralympic Day coincides with the one-year countdown to the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, elements from the games have been incorporated into this year’s celebration, which includes an exhibition featuring information about the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG. Members of the public can also experience sports events from the games that will be staged in Hong Kong, including boccia, table tennis, wheelchair fencing, and para dance sport.

     The NGCO will continue to organise various promotional activities for the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG in the community and schools, including roving exhibitions and sports games and programmes, to raise public awareness of the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG while encouraging members of the public to support and participate in this national mega sports event. Members of the public can visit the thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk), Facebook page (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk) for the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG (Hong Kong) for updates on the games and information of relevant activities.

     The 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao from December 8 to 15, 2025. Hong Kong will organise four competition events, namely, NGD events boccia, wheelchair fencing, para table tennis (TT11), and NSOG event table tennis, as well as one mass participation event, para dance sport. 

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Accreditation of first public hospital under China’s International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version) (with photo)

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) today (December 8) announced that the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) has been successfully accredited under the China’s International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version) (the Standards), becoming the first public hospital in Hong Kong to obtain such accreditation.
      
     In line with the policy direction regarding hospital accreditation put forward in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address, PYNEH and the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) had implemented the hospital accreditation programme by adopting the Standards earlier. This Standards is the first internationally recognised hospital accreditation standards of our country, covering hospital functions, management, patient safety, medical services and quality of healthcare, etc.
      
     The Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko, said, “The accreditation of PYNEH under the national hospital accreditation standards serves as a strong boost to HA’s ongoing efforts to enhance quality and safety of public hospitals. The HA will continue to co-ordinate more public hospitals’ participation in accreditation, ensuring public healthcare services on par with international standards as well as facilitating the national hospital accreditation standards to go global. We especially thank hospital staff for their full co-operation in the accreditation process and their collective effort in enhancing hospital service quality.”
      
     Dr Ko added that the HA would carefully develop implementation timelines for hospital accreditation across public hospitals, considering frontline workload and ensuring clinical work remain unaffected. The HA will strengthen communication with staff and provide appropriate support, while the HA Head Office (HAHO) has strengthened central co-ordination and made optimal use of information technology to streamline work processes, so as to assist public hospitals in getting well-prepared for accreditation.
      
     The Shenzhen Hospital Accreditation Research Center (Center) sent experts to conduct on-site accreditation surveys at PYNEH earlier. The Center commended the management and staff of PYNEH for their commitment to quality and patient safety. It also praised the hospital’s robust risk and quality management systems, acknowledged the hospital’s efforts in establishing and maintaining a good system and confirmed that the hospital has met the accreditation criteria.
      
     The Hospital Chief Executive of PYNEH, Dr Loletta So, expressed gratitude for the support of the Health Bureau and the HAHO. She said, “This accreditation reaffirms PYNEH’s sound management system and demonstrates that our service levels and healthcare quality meet international standards while aligning with national systems, which is an important foundation for the continuous enhancement of the quality of healthcare services. The hospital accreditation programme provides us an opportunity for continuous improvement across different areas. During the accreditation process, we engaged in candid exchanges with mainland experts, learning from each other to enhance our services.”
      
     Dr So noted that during the accreditation process, it was acknowledged that PYNEH has started to develop relevant projects on single-disease and clinical pathways and has established comprehensive treatment guidelines to enhance healthcare quality and ensure more efficient, professional patient care. The hospital has implemented a quality and safety management system at both hospital and departmental levels and strengthened emergency management in the hospital. PYNEH will continue exploring new development directions, including adopting advanced technologies, enhancing multi-disciplinary collaboration and strengthening professional training to further improve healthcare service quality, and provide saferand more effective medical experiences for patients.
      
     Dr So also thanked the hospital team for their dedication to the accreditation process over the past year, highlighting it as an achievement of collective effort. PYNEH will continue to uphold the spirit of continuous improvement.
      
     Apart from the PYNEH, PWH has also gone through the on-site accreditation surveys with official result pending. The HA is also planning to further extend the hospital accreditation programme to Queen Mary Hospital, United Christian Hospital, and Tuen Mun Hospital in 2025-26 to enhance the quality and service standards of public hospitals.

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Executive Deputy Director of Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of CPC Central Committee and Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council witnesses accreditation of first local hospital under China’s International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version)

     â€‹The Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zhou Ji, accompanied by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, witnessed the accreditation of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) under the China’s International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version) (the Standards) and officiated at the unveiling ceremony of the Hong Kong Office of the Shenzhen Hospital Accreditation Research Center (Center) today (December 8). PYNEH is the first hospital in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to receive the accreditation under the Standards. 

     Addressing the Award Ceremony of the First Hospital in the HKSAR receiving China’s International Hospital Accreditation cum Unveiling Ceremony of Shenzhen Hospital Accreditation Research Center Hong Kong Office, Professor Lo said, “I am very excited and proud about the accreditation of the first hospital in Hong Kong under the Standards. The resumption of the Hospital Accreditation Programme in public hospitals in Hong Kong can enhance the quality and safety of hospitals and ensure the management, services and quality of hospitals continuously improve and are on par with international standard, while also signifying that the development of high-quality local healthcare has reached a new height. Moreover, accreditation under the Standards can promote uniformity of the healthcare services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), hence providing residents of the GBA with international and homogenous healthcare services. This also marks the milestone when the Standards, which is an international hospital accreditation standard developed by our country, has officially gone beyond the Mainland and towards internationalisation.

     “The HKSAR Government will continue to press ahead with the accreditation programme under the Standards in the future. In addition to PYNEH which has received accreditation and Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) which is undergoing accreditation process, more public and private hospitals participating in the accreditation programme under the Standards will not only complement healthcare integration within the GBA and support Hong Kong’s integration into the national development, but also demonstrate excellence of the national hospital accreditation standards to the international community through fully leveraging Hong Kong’s advantages of enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world. In addition, the setting up of an office in Hong Kong by the Center which developed the Standards can accelerate the accreditation programme under the Standards in the HKSAR and highlight the important role of the HKSAR as a gateway to demonstrate and promote the Standards to the international community, thereby promoting the going global of national hospital accreditation standards.”

     The Standards were jointly developed by hospital accreditation experts from Hong Kong and the Mainland based on the national Tier III Class A hospital accreditation standards and in accordance with the requirements of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQHC), while drawing reference from international experience. The Standards and the Center have successfully obtained three accreditations of the ISQHC in terms of health and social care standards, surveyor training programmes as well as external evaluation organisations, therefore are considered an internationally recognised hospital accreditation framework. In line with the policy initiative of hospital accreditation set out in the Chief Executive’s Policy Addresses of 2022 and 2023, the Hospital Authority (HA) has resumed the Hospital Accreditation Programme by adopting the Standards at PYNEH and PWH in 2023-24.

     Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR Mr Yin Zhonghua; the Director General of the Public Hygiene and Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Ms Wu Hongyan; and the Deputy Executive Director-General of the Qianhai Authority, Mr Huang Xiaopeng, also officiated at the Ceremony. Other attending guests include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Chairman of the HA, Mr Henry Fan; and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko. read more

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to South Africa to attend World Customs Organization meeting and visit Saudi Arabia for reaching customs co-operation (with photos)

     â€‹The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, from December 3 to 5, led a delegation that included the Assistant Commissioner (Excise and Strategic Support) of Customs and Excise, Mr Rudy Hui, the Assistant Commissioner (World Customs Organization) of Customs and Excise, Mr Li Kin-kei, and other Customs officers to attend the 91st Session of the Policy Commission of the World Customs Organization (WCO) in Cape Town, South Africa, and visited Saudi Arabia on December 6 and 7. During the meeting and visit, a number of customs co-operation agreements were reached with other customs administrations, including the conclusion of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) with the South African Customs, AEO MRA Action Plans with Chilean Customs and Peruvian Customs, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance (MOU) with Saudi Arabia Customs. The trip concluded yesterday (December 7).
      
     The Policy Commission of the WCO holds at least two sessions annually to discuss and determine the roles and functions of the WCO. Ms Ho attended this session from December 3 to 5 in the capacity of WCO Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region to convey views of the A/P members to the Policy Commission.  
      
     On December 3, Ms Ho signed the AEO MRA with the Commissioner of South African Revenue Service, Mr Edward Kieswetter, which was the first MRA signed with customs administration in the African region. This MRA will reinforce international cargo security of the two places while facilitating legitimate cross-boundary cargo movements and bringing significant benefits to AEOs on both sides, as well as enhancing their competitiveness in the international market.
      
     Later that same day, Mr Hui signed the AEO MRA Action Plans with the Director General of National Customs Service of Chile, Ms Alejandra Arriaza Loeb, and the Deputy National Superintendent of Customs of the National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration (SUNAT) of Peru, Mr Jyns Jose Francisco Ordonez Torres, marking a significant step for Hong Kong Customs in extending the MRA network to South America.
      
     The signing of the MRA with South Africa Customs brings the total number of MRAs ratified between Hong Kong Customs and other Customs administrations to 16. The other 15 Customs administrations with which Hong Kong has signed MRAs are Mainland China, India, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Macao, China and Bahrain. Under the MRAs, AEOs from the signatory countries or regions can enjoy reciprocal trade facilitations including reduced Customs inspection and prioritised clearance. In expanding the MRA network, Hong Kong Customs will continue to accord priority to discussions with the Belt and Road economies, particularly member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), as well as African and South American countries.
      
     On December 6, Ms Ho and the delegation arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and signed an MOU with the Governor of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia, Mr Suhail bin Muhammad Abanmi. This MOU is the first Customs Co-operative Arrangement (CCA) signed between Hong Kong Customs and the Customs Authority of the GCC Member States in the Middle East region, which will help strengthen intelligence and information exchange for combating cross-boundary crimes and promote closer ties in trade facilitation. Currently, Hong Kong Customs has signed 33 similar CCAs with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Macao Customs Service, and 31 overseas customs administrations.
      
     In addition, Ms Ho on December 7 paid a courtesy call on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr Chang Hua, to share insights on Customs co-operation and trade facilitation between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

     Separately, Mr Hui attended the two-day Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference on December 4 and 5 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference, conducted under the theme “Shaping Tomorrow for Sustainable Ecosystems”, gathered delegates from customs and tax administrations and international organisations, as well as stakeholders from diverse sectors, to exchange perspectives on various subjects concerning customs and trade.

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