The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, expressed deep condolences over the passing of the former Chairman of the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK), Professor Joseph Lau, and extended his deepest sympathies to Professor Lau's family today (February 7).

     Professor Lo said, "Professor Lau has made remarkable achievements in the medical field throughout his life as a world renowned expert in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery. He was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2003, honouring his instrumental stature in the medical community.

     "Professor Lau was committed to the medical development of Hong Kong. He was a former President of the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong. He also served on the MCHK for over 22 years and just retired from the MCHK last month after serving as its Chairman for more than 11 years. During his service, Professor Lau spared no effort in upholding the professional standards of doctors and pushing ahead the enhancements to the regulatory framework. As a research professor of the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Lau has devoted himself to teaching and research, having nurtured countless surgeons at home and abroad over the years. In 2013, he was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in recognition of his contributions to society, in particular the medical field.

     "Professor Lau cared deeply about his patients, showed great dedication to teach medical students from all backgrounds, and carried out research diligently. His lifelong contribution to the medical community in Hong Kong has earned him much respect and he will be dearly missed. Together with my colleagues in the Health Bureau, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, I extend our deepest sympathies to Professor Lau's family."

     The Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) conducted a joint operation with the Fire Services Department codenamed "Solar Flare" against unlicensed hotels/guesthouses and illegal club-house operations for two consecutive days on February 5 and 6 by posing as clients (commonly known as "snaking") at various spots to ensure the safety of lodgers and the general public.
 
     A spokesman for the HAD today (February 7) said, "The OLA inspected 32 premises in areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon during the operation. Twenty premises were suspected of operating unlicensed hotels/guesthouses and three licensed club-houses were suspected of being in breach of licensing conditions. The OLA will follow up all these cases and initiate prosecution of cases with sufficient evidence after completion of the investigations."
 
     Having regard to unlicensed hotels/guesthouses soliciting lodgers via online platforms, the OLA has strengthened its intelligence collection by forming a dedicated team to browse webpages, mobile applications, social media, discussion forums, blogs, etc, to search for information and intelligence on suspected unlicensed hotels/guesthouses. The OLA's law enforcement officers will initiate follow-up investigations when information on unlicensed hotels/guesthouses advertised via online platforms is found. The OLA also continues to combat unlicensed hotels/guesthouses through public education and conducts publicity work on Internet search engines outside Hong Kong to enable tourists' access to the information provided by the OLA in the course of planning their trips, so that they can make use of the search functions on the OLA's website to distinguish whether the hotel/guesthouse reserved is licensed or not.
 
     The spokesman stressed, "Operating an unlicensed hotel/guesthouse is a criminal offence and it can lead to imprisonment and a criminal record. Upon conviction, an offender is liable to a maximum fine of $500,000, three years' imprisonment, and a fine of $20,000 for each day during which the offence continues. A six-month closure order may also be issued for the premises involved in a repeated offence."
　　
      Tourists may check on the OLA's webpage (hadla.gov.hk) or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses" whether a hotel/guesthouse is holding a valid licence. All people should report any suspected unlicensed hotel/guesthouse to the OLA by the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805), or through the mobile application.

    

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, visited a residential care home for the elderly (RCHE) at the Kwu Tung North Multi-welfare Services Complex this afternoon (February 7). The Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau, also joined the visit.

     The eight-storey Kwu Tung North Multi-welfare Services Complex provides residential and community care services for the elderly people and persons with disabilities. One contract home, with 250 residential care places for the elderly, is housed on each of the first to the seventh floors, providing a total of 1 750 places, including nursing home places as well as care-and-attention places. Day Care Units for the Elderly are provided on the first and second floors. A Day Activity Centre cum Hostel for Severely Mentally Handicapped Persons and a Care and Attention Home for Severely Disabled Persons will be provided on the ground floor. The construction works of the Complex commenced in end-2019 and adopted the Modular Integrated Construction method. All seven RCHEs commenced service from August 2023.

     Mr Sun visited one of the RCHEs and was briefed by the operator on its daily operations as well as multidisciplinary nursing and care services. Mr Sun and other officials extended early Chinese New Year greetings to the elderly and participated in their festive activities. He also distributed fortune bags to the elderly in celebration of the Chinese New Year and wished them good health.

     In addition, Mr Sun and other officials took a closer look at the services and facilities of the RCHE. The Government provided gerontechnology facilities and products to the residential care homes (RCHs) in the Kwu Tung North Multi-welfare Services Complex, including contactless vital sign monitoring systems, monitoring systems with alarms for bed exit and fall detection, as well as intelligence robots for conducting scheduled room patrols and supporting virtual visits, with a view to integrating gerontechnology into the design of new RCHs to improve the quality of life of service users and the service efficiency of RCHs.

                  

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, visited the Correctional Services Department today (February 7) to meet with directorate officers and frontline correctional officers, and to learn about the department's latest developments and work of staff. She also toured the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre.
 
     Mrs Yeung and the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung, first met with the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Wong Kwok-hing, and directorate staff and were briefed on the custodial environment and facilities of the institution, as well as ways to introduce smart elements and an advanced management mode into facilities improvement projects of the institution.
 
     They then toured various detention, security and rehabilitation facilities, including the exercise yard, dayroom, special unit, hospital, bathroom and reception office, and learned about the challenges and difficulties encountered by the frontline staff in the operation of the reception centre.
 
     During the visit, Mrs Yeung was also briefed by frontline staff on the Intelligent Robotic Monitoring System to know more about how the system assists correctional officers in conducting nighttime patrols and enhancing supervision of persons in custody. In addition, they learned about the application of the Smart Health Sensing System and Contactless Vital Sign Monitoring System, which are used to monitor the breath and heartbeat of patients in the reception centre's hospital.
 
     Mrs Yeung said, "It is a general trend to utilise information technology to implement a modernised management mode in correctional facilities and proactively introduce 'smart prison' elements, which could further improve not only the operational efficiency of the reception centre but also the working environment of correctional officers."
 
     Before concluding her visit, Mrs Yeung met with staff representatives of various grades in the department to exchange views on matters that concerned them. She thanked the colleagues for their commitment and diligence in their work, and for striving to maintain round-the-clock security and order in the correctional facilities.

    

     Principal Officials (POs) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government have started travelling to all 18 districts throughout Hong Kong today (February 7) to visit grassroots families for three consecutive days (February 7 to 9) to chat with them and distribute blessing bags in celebration of the Chinese New Year. The year-end caring visits in 18 districts are co-ordinated by the Home Affairs Department.
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Tai Po), Ms Eunice Chan, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; and the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Alice Cheung, together with representatives from the District Services and Community Care Team (Care Team) (Tai Po) visited 91-year-old Ms Hau, who lives in Chung Uk Tsuen, this morning to understand her daily life. They presented her with a Chinese New Year blessing bag on behalf of the HKSAR Government to demonstrate care and share the festive joy with citizens.
 
     Other POs of the HKSAR Government also paid home visits in various districts today, including Eastern, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon City, Yuen Long, North, Sham Shui Po and Islands Districts.
 
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Eastern), Mr Simon Chan, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, together with an Eastern District Council member and representatives from the Care Team (Eastern) visited elderly people living in Wan Tsui Estate, Chai Wan. Accompanied by the District Officer (Wong Tai Sin), Mr Thomas Wu, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, together with Wong Tai Sin District Council members and representatives from the Care Team (Wong Tai Sin) visited a grassroots family and elderly people living in Choi Wan (II) Estate, Ngau Chi Wan. Accompanied by the District Officer (Kowloon City), Miss Alice Choi, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, together with Kowloon City District Council members and representatives from the Care Team (Kowloon City) visited singleton elderly and elderly couples living in Oi Man Estate in Ho Man Tin. Accompanied by the District Officer (Yuen Long), Mr Gordon Wu, the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, together with Yuen Long District Council members and representatives from the Care Team (Yuen Long) visited elderly people and people in need living in Tin Wah Estate, Tin Shui Wai.
 
     In addition, accompanied by the District Officer (North), Mr Derek Lai, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, and the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, together with a North District Council member and representatives from the Care Team (North) visited elderly people living in Wah Sum Estate, Fanling. Accompanied by the District Officer (Sham Shui Po), Mr Paul Wong, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, together with the Sham Shui Po District Council members and representatives from the Care Team (Sham Shui Po) visited singleton elderly people living on Apliu Street, Sham Shui Po. Accompanied by the District Officer (Islands), Miss Amy Yeung, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, together with Islands District Council members and representatives from the Care Team (Islands), visited elderly people and single-parent families living in Ying Tung Estate, Tung Chung.
 
     The POs of the Government will continue to visit grassroots families the coming two days (February 8 and 9) to extend care and blessings.