Tag Archives: China

     Following is a question by the Hon Lam So-wai and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, in the Legislative Council today (February 21):

Question:

     It is learnt that at present, about 700 000 people in Hong Kong suffer from diabetes, meaning that 1 out of every 10 people is a diabetic patient, with more than one fifth of patients under the age of 40. In addition, it has been reported that according to a study, the youngest diabetic patient in Hong Kong is only three years old. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
(1) given that diabetic patients have become increasingly younger, whether the Government will review if the current approach of health education alone is effective in raising the awareness of diabetes prevention among parents, adolescents and children, hence making adolescents and children reduce the consumption of drinks with a high sugar content; if it will, of the details;

(2) as it has been reported that the number of diabetic patients seeking consultation from the Hospital Authority has risen in recent years, whether the Government has projected the additional manpower and resources required in the public healthcare system in the current financial year as well as each of the next five financial years to cope with the situation; and

(3) whether it will, from the perspective of “prevention is better than cure”, consider following the practice of countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway in introducing a sugar levy to raise the prices of sugary drinks, so as to dampen the desire of the public (especially children) to buy such drinks, and subsidise public healthcare expenditure with the revenue from the sugar levy?

Reply:

President,

     While Hong Kong’s various health indices rank among the best in the world, just like many developed places, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, have exerted heavy pressure on citizens’ health and social development. In 2018, the Government announced the “Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong” which focuses on four NCDs, including diabetes, as well as four shared behavioural risk factors, namely unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.

     In consultation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Department of Health (DH), my consolidated reply to the questions raised by the Hon Lam So-wai is as follows: 

(1) Diabetes is classified into two types, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is caused by the damaged insulin producing cells and is associated with hereditary factors, immunity or environmental factors. Diabetes diagnosed in children or adolescents is primarily Type 1. In theory, the 3-year-old child with diabetes mentioned by the Hon Lam is very likely a case of Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 is caused by the resistance to insulin inside the body. Apart from hereditary factors, the main factors for Type 2 are related to unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits, obesity or lack of physical activity. In general, diabetes diagnosed in adults is Type 2. According to the results of the Population Health Surveys in recent years, there is no significant rise in diabetes diagnosis among individuals aged 15 to 44, and also no trend of persons suffering from diabetes at a younger age. The relevant figures are at Annex I.

     Nevertheless, the Government has been promoting public awareness of diabetes prevention through a life-course and environment-based approach. Measures particularly targeted at adolescents and children include:

(i) In the 2009/10 school year, the DH, in collaboration with the Education Bureau (EDB), launched the EatSmart School Accreditation Scheme under the EatSmart@school.hk Campaign, which encourages family, school and the community to work together with the aim of motivating and helping all primary schools in Hong Kong to formulate and implement healthy eating school policy. In view of the positive outcome, the DH therefore launched the StartSmart@school.hk Campaign to promote healthy eating and physical activity among preschoolers across the city since 2012. 

     At present, about 300 primary schools and special schools (i.e. about 45 per cent of the total number in Hong Kong) and about 640 kindergartens and child care centres (i.e. about 60 per cent of the total number in Hong Kong) are participating in the campaigns.

(ii) In the 2018/19 school year, the DH launched the Healthy Drinks at School Charter. Participating kindergartens and child care centres have committed to encouraging young children to drink water, avoiding to provide drinks with added sugar or with a relatively high sugar content, etc. Number of participating schools has increased from around 380 at the beginning to around 480 in the 2022/23 school year.

(iii) The District Health Centres (DHCs) and DHC Expresses in all 18 districts in Hong Kong draw up personalised health plan for citizens in accordance with the framework of Life Course Preventive Care Plan. Measures particularly targeted at adolescents and children include weight management and group classes on healthy diet; and providing outreach activities at schools including health education, health risk assessment, and dietary education focusing on low-salt low-sugar. 

(iv) “To lead a Healthy Lifestyle” is one of the seven learning goals of school curriculum set by the EDB. Students learn about healthy lifestyle and diet (including diabetes prevention) through different subjects.

     Apart from the above measures, the Student Health Service also checks enrolled students’ body weight during annual health assessments, provides counselling and health advice to students with sub-optimal weight, and makes referrals to specialists if necessary. The relevant data is at Annex II. In fact, about 20 per cent of school children were overweight or obese. Prevention of diabetes cannot be attained solely by reducing the consumption of drinks with high sugar content. It requires an array of measures, including a healthy diet, suitable physical activity and appropriate body weight. The DH will step up promotion at the school level through the Whole School Health Programme to help children develop a habit of regular physical activity starting from childhood.

     The Government has also been encouraging members of the public to actively manage their own health through the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App). Members of the public can input data of their bodyweight and blood pressure in the eHealth App, with a view to monitoring their own bodyweight for weight management or health management. This year, under the Government’s public health promotion programme, a health challenge platform on eHealth App will be launched to encourage students to be more physically active.

(2) The second question is related to figures. There were about 540 000 diabetes patients in the HA in 2022, with an annual growth rate at 4 to 5 per cent, similar to that in the past. While the HA will not make assessment of manpower and resource requirements regarding individual diseases, it is more important to note that complications of diabetes will incur the use of more medical resources. Poor control of diabetes may lead to serious complications. For example, at present, about 50 per cent of incident cases of end stage renal failure are attributable to diabetes, some 30 per cent of diabetic patients are diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and over 16 per cent diabetes patients had a history of coronary heart disease. Effective control of diabetes can therefore reduce the need for other specialist services arising from complications of diabetes.

     To achieve the goal of “early prevention, early identification and early treatment”, the Government launched the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) last year to provide subsidised screening services in the private healthcare sector to Hong Kong residents aged 45 or above with no known medical history of diabetes or hypertension. As at February 15, 2024 (i.e. after launching the Scheme for around three months), more than 20 000 citizens have participated in the CDCC Pilot Scheme. Among that, over 9 000 participants have completed screenings whereas their family doctors have explained the results and arranged appropriate health management plans for them. We noted that about 3 000 participants (about 30 per cent) were diagnosed with prediabetes (note), diabetes or hypertension.

     On the whole, the Government will conduct regular planning and projection exercises for healthcare professional manpower and project the demand systematically.

(3) Lastly, according to the information provided by the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Government has all along been making reference to the measures taken by different regions in promoting healthy eating and prevention of diabetes, and has noted that different local and overseas stakeholders have different views on the effectiveness of introducing tax measures to achieve the goal of reducing public’s sugar intake from food.

     In fact, getting the public to accept less-salt-and-sugar cannot be achieved overnight and requires comprehensive information dissemination, active promotion by the Government and participation of the industry. Regarding food information, according to relevant legislation, food claiming to be “low-sugar” must contain no more than 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams or 100 millilitres of food. According to a survey conducted by an academic institute commissioned by the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food (the Committee) in 2022, the public had improvement in terms of awareness and action towards reduction of salt and sugar when compared with that in 2021, showing a positive impact from the current promotion work. The Committee, in conjunction with relevant bureaux and departments, will continue to enhance the publicity and education efforts with a view to further raising the public’s awareness and action towards reduction of salt and sugar.

     Thank you, President. 

Note: A blood glucose level ranging from 6.0 to 6.4 per cent for glycated haemoglobin or a fasting glucose level of 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (February 21) that various special measures implemented during the Chinese New Year (CNY) helped to cope with the service demand surge and alleviate the service pressure on the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments. The operations of public hospitals were generally maintained smoothly.
 
     The special measures included strengthening manpower, opening temporary beds and mobilising hospital beds flexibly, enhancing support for the discharge process and expediting the turnover of beds. In addition, 18 General Outpatient Clinics (GOPCs) and Chinese Medicine Clinics cum Training and Research Centres (CMCTRs) located in the 18 districts were specially opened during the CNY holidays, providing a total of 8 000 quotas and 1 800 quotas respectively.
 
     In addition, in order to minimise the impact of service demand surge on the public healthcare system, the Health Bureau has collated information of private hospitals, healthcare facilities, family doctors and Chinese medicine clinics that were in operation during the CNY holidays across the city. The information (including addresses, phone numbers and operation hours) of the relevant hospitals and clinics have been uploaded to an online portal for public reference in collaboration with the Spatial Data Office of the Development Bureau and the Lands Department. Such a move aims to enable citizens in need to look for suitable hospitals or clinics for medical treatment.
 
     Data from the HA shows that during the CNY, the quota utilisation rate of GOPCs rose from about 80 per cent on the first day (February 10) of the CNY to more than 90 per cent on the second to fourth day (February 11 to 13) of the CNY, while the quota utilisation rate of CMCTRs was about 80 per cent, showing that the additional service capacity in the CNY of GOPCs and CMCTRs was able to meet the needs of the public.
 
     Regarding the operation of A&E Departments, from February 9 to 18, more than 53 200 attendances were recorded in A&E Departments, representing an increase of about 27 per cent when compared with around 41 800 attendances recorded during the same period of the CNY last year (from CNY’s Eve to the ninth day of the CNY).
 
     During this period, the A&E first attendance in public hospitals ranged from about 4 000 to about 6 200 daily, with the peak concentrating on the fourth and the fifth day (February 13 and 14) of the CNY. Overall, the proportion of semi-urgent (Triage IV) and non-urgent (Triage V) patients decreased as compared with previous years, allowing the A&E Departments to allocate manpower and resources to take care of patients with more urgent conditions.
 
     In addition, the special refund arrangement implemented to cope with the increased service volume in the A&E Departments of public hospitals has concluded. From February 9 to 18, 1 032 applications for refund have so far been received, accounting for around 1.9 per cent of the total number of attendances, with the majority of them being patients in stable condition. The applications are currently under process, and eligible applicants will be refunded by cheque sent via mail or by credit card.
 
     The spokesman stressed, “The operation of the special refund arrangement has been smooth, allowing stable and less severe patients to have more flexibility in choosing alternative healthcare arrangements, such as seeking consultation at other medical institutions, thus diverting patients and alleviating the service pressure on A&E Departments, enabling them to concentrate resources of taking care of patients in need.”
 
     “Although the number of patient attendance increased as compared to normal days, the operation of all public hospitals remained smooth during this period after the implementation of the above special measures, and the overall pressure on public hospitals was alleviated. In particular, the waiting time for patients admitted to the wards through the A&E Departments has been reduced. However, the HA noted that some patients did not show up after making appointments at GOPCs and CMCTRs. The HA appeals to patients to cancel their appointments if consultation service is not in need due to other arrangements, so that patients in need can receive medical services more easily and in a timely manner.
 
     “The HA is thankful for the understanding of patients and also the dedicated healthcare staff taking care of patients with their best efforts during the CNY, which enabled the emergency services of A&E Departments in public hospitals to remain smooth. The HA will continue to monitor the service statistics of public hospitals, and summarise the experience gained from implementing special measures this time and feedback received from different stakeholders, so as to help implement appropriate measures in the future, so that A&E Department resources can be used for citizens who are most in need of healthcare services.”
 
     Moreover, recent surveillance data shows that the local COVID-19 and influenza activity has increased. The HA appeals to members of the public to get vaccinated early for COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, especially high-risk groups, to reduce the chance of getting infected for themselves and their family members, as well as to reduce critical cases and deaths. Regardless of the number of doses received previously, high-risk groups are recommended to receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least six months since the last dose or infection.
 
     Members of the public may find details on the Centre for Health Protection COVID-19 Vaccination Programme website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html) and the Vaccination Schemes website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/17980.html). read more

     The Department of Health (DH) today (February 21) endorsed a licensed Chinese herbal medicine (Chm) wholesaler, Wong Chak Kee Limited, to voluntarily recall from the market one batch of Chm, Nidus Vespae (batch number: 230228), as aflatoxins detected in the sample exceeded the limits set out by the Chinese Medicines Board of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMCHK).

     During the DH’s market surveillance, a sample of the above Chm was collected for analysis. Testing results of the sample from the Government Laboratory revealed that each kilogram of the Nidus Vespae sample contained 44 micrograms of aflatoxins and 30mcg of aflatoxin B1, exceeding the limits set out by the Chinese Medicines Board of the CMCHK (each kilogram of the above Chm should not contain more than 10mcg of aflatoxins and 5mcg of aflatoxin B1).

     A preliminary investigation indicated that the above batch of Nidus Vespae was imported by Wong Chak Kee Limited from the Mainland. The DH is tracing the distribution of the affected Chm. So far, no adverse reports related to the use of the above Chm have been received. The investigation is ongoing.
 
     Wong Chak Kee Limited has set up a hotline (2858 2168) for public enquiries. The DH will closely monitor the recall.

     According to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549), Nidus Vespae is a Schedule 2 Chm. Nidus Vespae, the honeycomb of Polistes olivaceous (DeGeer), Polistes japonicus Saussure or Parapolybia varia Fabricius, is used to expel toxins, kill worms, dispel wind and relieve pain.

     “Aflatoxins are a family of heat-resistant compounds produced by the moulds Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus and related species. Hot and humid conditions and poor storage can contribute to a higher occurrence of moulds and consequently high levels of aflatoxins in contaminated Chm. The DH advises the industry to have strict control on the temperature and humidity of the storage facilities for Chm that is susceptible to mould infestation and members of the public to properly store Chm at a dry and cool place,” a spokesman for the DH said.

     The spokesman added that the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified aflatoxins as carcinogenic to humans. Aflatoxins can lead to liver cancer after long-term ingestion, and the risk for hepatitis B carriers is relatively high. Members of the public may visit the following website of the Chinese Medicine Regulatory Office (CMRO) of the DH for more information on the adverse health effects of aflatoxins and proper storage of Chm:
www.cmro.gov.hk/files/en/useful_information/public_health/pamphlet/Herbal_Medicines_and_Aflatoxin_Eng.pdf
 
     According to section 52 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), selling any drug not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser is liable to a maximum penalty of $10,000 and three months’ imprisonment. Upon completion of investigation, the DH will work with the Department of Justice on prosecution matters and will also refer the case to the CMCHK for possible disciplinary action.

     The DH urged members of the public who have purchased the above affected batch of Chm to stop using it immediately and submit it to the CMRO of the DH on 16/F, AIA Kowloon Tower, Landmark East, 100 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong, during office hours for disposal. Members of the public who have used the above Chm and feel unwell should seek advice from healthcare professionals.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:        The service of Coin Cart No.2 at lay-by on Tuen Shun Street, Tuen Mun (outside tmtplaza, near Taxi Stand) originally scheduled between Februar… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (Sydney ETO) shared the joy of the Year of the Dragon with the local community in Sydney, Australia, by presenting a concert and hosting a reception on February 19 and 20 respectively.
 
     The Sydney ETO supported “A Melodious Chat of Music Concert” on February 19 to celebrate Chinese New Year and showcase the music talent of Hong Kong. The performance, staged by the ensemble Melody Plus, blended Chinese and Western music, presenting music works of Lingnan culture, Cantonese pop songs and classic folk songs. The performance was well received by an audience of around 500.
 
     The Director of the Sydney ETO, Miss Trista Lim, said in her welcoming remarks that the Government is committed to fostering the cultural development of Hong Kong. “Our office attaches great importance to promoting arts and cultural exchanges with the local community in Australia. To showcase Hong Kong’s unique charm as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the 14th Five-Year Plan, and to tell good stories of Hong Kong, we are working proactively in assisting the touring of arts groups and delegations,” she said.
 
     The Sydney ETO also hosted a reception in Sydney yesterday (February 20) to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Over 400 guests from various sectors including political and business circles, media, academic and community groups as well as government representatives attended the reception. Among them were the Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, the Minister for Industry and Trade, the Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, the Minister for Building, and the Minister for Corrections of New South Wales (NSW), Mr Anoulack Chanthivong, representing the Premier of NSW; and the Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, Mr Robert Kok, representing the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney.
 
     Speaking at the reception, Miss Lim said that Hong Kong prides itself as Asia’s world city, offering visitors a unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures. She added that the Government will strive to promote a mega-event economy, highlighting a series of mega events to be held in Hong Kong in the coming months including the LIV Golf Hong Kong Tournament, Art March and the Hong Kong Sevens.
 
     Miss Lim also introduced the Government’s initiatives to attract enterprises, investment and talent, including developing a “headquarters economy”, rolling out a new Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, and expanding the coverage of universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme to 185 institutions, including nine universities in Australia.
 
     The Sydney ETO will continue to host Chinese New Year receptions in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth in Australia, and Auckland in New Zealand to celebrate the Year of the Dragon with communities in those locations.