The following is issued on behalf of the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee:

     The Quality Education Fund (QEF) and the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today (July 28) held a launching ceremony for promoting the e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme by offering professional advice and mentorship support to the 23 projects funded under the Programme. 

     Speaking at the launching ceremony, the trustee of the QEF and the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li, said that the Programme aims to facilitate the development, enrichment and provision of quality e-learning ancillary facilities that will have a positive impact on enhancing e-learning through fostering in-depth collaboration among the school sector, tertiary institutions and the business sector. The Programme will not only support e-learning and blended learning modes in the new era but will also help boost the application and development of innovation and technology in the education sector for the benefit of students and teachers.

     She welcomed the HKPC to become the strategic partner of the QEF to provide professional advice and mentorship support for the grantees, helping them to better understand the latest market developments and build a marketing network. The Hong Kong Education City will also support the projects by hosting the deliverables on its website for facilitating the access and use by the school sector and relevant stakeholders.  

     The QEF has reserved $500 million in total for the implementation of the Programme, including about $260 million for funding the development of the projects and around $240 million for sponsoring publicly-funded schools to use the project deliverables. After a rigorous vetting process, 23 projects have been selected for funding. These projects will deploy innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence and big data, to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness in a wide array of subjects, benefiting secondary, primary and kindergarten students, as well as students with special educational needs. Details of the Programme are available on the QEF website (qef.org.hk/en/application_guide/elearning_ancillary.html).

    

     â€‹To echo World Breastfeeding Week 2023, the Department of Health (DH) today (July 28) called for community collaboration to support and promote breastfeeding.
      
     World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually in the first week of August. The theme for this year is "Enabling breastfeeding: Making a difference for working parents", which aims to support working women to continue breastfeeding. The DH, in collaboration with the Hospital Authority (HA), the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, today held a celebration event for World Breastfeeding Week 2023, to raise the awareness of breastfeeding among the community and call for their support.
      
     Speaking at the event, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, said that the Government has been actively promoting the Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace policy. As at June this year, there are over 380 babycare facilities in government properties. Meanwhile, the DH launched guidelines for employers and employees on specific recommendations to support breastfeeding and encouraged workplaces to implement breastfeeding-friendly measures.
      
     Dr Lee said that professional support from healthcare institutions helps enhance parents' awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding. The DH and the HA have actively implemented the Baby-Friendly Healthcare Facility accreditation programme in their respective maternal and child health centres and hospitals with maternity service with a view to strengthening professional support to breastfeeding mothers. The local breastfeeding rate has been on a rise over the past 20 years. The breastfeeding rate on hospital discharge has increased from 55 per cent in 2000 to 85 per cent in 2022. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding till six months of age also increased from 8 per cent in 2000 to 22 per cent in 2020.
      
     However, Dr Lee pointed out that during the COVID-19 pandemic, women encountered difficulties in obtaining adequate and appropriate breastfeeding information and counselling service as well as support from healthcare institutions and in the community. Following the full resumption to normalcy after the pandemic, all sectors of the community should spare no effort in supporting and promoting breastfeeding.
      
     To further promote breastfeeding-friendly workplace, the DH has produced a new promotional video to be broadcast on TV starting next month, so as to reinforce the relevant message to employers. The DH will also launch a large-scale promotional campaign next month with a view to creating a supportive environment for sustained breastfeeding.
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     Members of the public can visit the designated webpage (www.fhs.gov.hk/wbw2023/index.html) for more information on World Breastfeeding Week 2023.

    

     T-Art Design & Decoration Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (July 28) and were each fined $29,000, making a total fine of $58,000. The company and its director were also ordered to pay employees an outstanding sum of about $392,000.
 
     The company failed to pay two employees, in accordance with the requirement of the EO, wages and payment in lieu of notice totalling about $206,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of their employment contracts, as well as the awarded sum totalling about $392,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The director concerned was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
 
     "The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within statutory time limit stipulated in the EO, as well as the sums awarded by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.
 
     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (July 28) the expansion of the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong (GD Scheme) to assist elderly persons of Hong Kong to retire in cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

     The two expansion measures include: (1) to cover elderly persons on the Central Waiting List for subsidised nursing home places; and (2) to invite applications from operators of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) with experience and satisfactory track records of providing subsidised residential care services in Hong Kong, which are operating RCHE(s) in GBA cities, to register their RCHEs in the GBA as Recognised Service Provider (RSP) under the GD Scheme. 

     The two measures will take effect from today. The SWD has conducted an online briefing session for the RCHE sector on the operation details of the GD Scheme today. Letters have also been issued to all referring offices of subsidised long-term care service for the elderly to inform them of the measures. 

     Eligible elderly persons who would like to apply for the GD Scheme may contact their referring offices on residential care services. Eligible RCHE operators who wish to register their RCHEs in GBA cities as RSP under the GD Scheme may download the application form (Chinese version only) from the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk/storage/asset/section/529/application_form_gd_scheme.pdf) and send the completed form together with the required documents by post to the Residential Care Services Section of the Elderly Branch of the SWD.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (July 28) that it is investigating a confirmed Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case, and urged the public to heighten vigilance and avoid close physical contact with persons suspected of contracting Mpox. Meanwhile, high-risk target groups are strongly advised to receive Mpox vaccination.

     The case involves a 35-year-old male patient with good past health. He had developed lymphadenopathy since July 23 and a localised skin ulcer on July 25. He visited a private doctor and Union Hospital on July 25, and was referred to Prince of Wales Hospital on the next day (July 26). The CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch confirmed that his samples tested positive for the virus last night (July 27). He is still hospitalised and in stable condition.

     An initial investigation revealed that he had visited Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen during the incubation period. According to the patient, he only had high-risk exposure in Hong Kong during the incubation period. No epidemiological linkages between this case and other confirmed cases recorded in Hong Kong earlier have been found so far. The CHP's epidemiological investigations of the case are ongoing, including contact tracing and infection source investigation. The CHP will report the case to the World Health Organization and the relevant authority of the Mainland.

     The CHP had earlier set up an Mpox telephone hotline (2125 2373). The hotline operates from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 9am to 5pm, which enables those who suspect or are concerned they have had high-risk contact with confirmed patients, in particular men who have sex with men or those who have sexual practices with strangers, to make enquiries and receive relevant health advice. Meanwhile, the CHP reminds the public, especially those subject to high risks of exposure, to take precautions and avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of infection. They should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they experience relevant symptoms, including rashes, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches.

     The CHP reminds members of the public that Mpox is not transmitted through respiratory droplets or aerosols in general, and transmission would not occur through social contact. Proper personal and hand hygiene can help prevent getting infected via contact.

     The Government has activated the Alert level of the preparedness and response plan for the disease in September last year and will continue to assess the risk in view of the latest scientific evidence and situation, and implement corresponding control measures.

     The Mpox vaccination programme for high-risk groups commenced on October 5 last year. Under the programme, the following high-risk target groups can receive Mpox vaccination on a voluntary basis:
 

1. Individuals with high-risk sexual practices, e.g. having multiple sexual partners, sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months;
2. Healthcare workers responsible for caring of patients with confirmed Mpox;
3. Laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses; and
4. Animal care personnel with high risk of exposure in case of Mpox occurrence in animals in Hong Kong.

     High-risk target groups can receive Mpox vaccination at the designated Mpox vaccination centre (situated at 2/F, CHP building, 147C Argyle Street, Mong Kok) by appointment through email (mpv_booking@dh.gov.hk) or telephone booking line (2547 1900) during office hours. They can also receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at all of the DH's Social Hygiene Service Clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS). Further information of the clinics including their locations is available at www.dh.gov.hk/english/tele/tele_chc/tele_chc_shcf.html and www.dh.gov.hk/english/tele/tele_chc/tele_chc_shcm.html.

     Meanwhile, the DH's Integrated Treatment Centre in Kowloon Bay, and the Hospital Authority's Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital will continue to provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.

     â€‹For more details, please visit the CHP's page on Mpox.