Tag Archives: China

     â€‹The Government announced today (December 29) that the Chief Executive had reappointed Professor Wong Wing-tak as the Chairman of the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) for another two years with effect from January 1, 2024.
       
     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “Professor Wong has made remarkable contribution by leading the HKCTC to provide invaluable advice and strategic insights over the past two years. We have full confidence that under the leadership of Professor Wong and with the concerted efforts of the Council members, the Council will continue to support Hong Kong’s testing and certification sector to grow further and seize a multitude of opportunities that lie ahead.”
      
     The Chief Executive had also reappointed 17 incumbent members, and appointed four new members, namely Dr Crystal Fok Lo-ming, Dr Emmie Ho Ngai-man, Dr Lesly Lam Lik-shan and Ms Fiona Lee, for the same two-year term.
      
     Professor Sun also expressed appreciation to the four outgoing members for their active participation in the Council’s work and their substantial contribution to the development of the testing and certification sector. They are Mr Kenneth Lam Kar-kin, Ms Stephanie Lam Yuen-shan, Ms Pearl Tse Pui-pui and Mr Basil Wai Siu-bong.   
      
     The membership of the Council for the new term is as follows:
      
Professor Wong Wing-tak (Chairman)
Ms Bess Choi Siu-fong
Mr Martin Fan
Dr Crystal Fok Lo-ming*
Dr Gray Ho Koon-sing
Dr Emmie Ho Ngai-man*
Ms Denise Hou Yuen-chi
Dr Lesly Lam Lik-shan*
Ms Fiona Lee*
Dr Ann Leung
Mr Kenneth Leung Yuk-wai, JP
Dr Wingco Lo Kam-wing, JP
Mr Robert Andrew Lui Chi-wang
Mr Joseph Poon Tim-leung
Dr Fanny Tang Wai-fan
Ms Gilly Wong Fung-han
Mr Wilson Wong Wing-wa
Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council or representative
Executive Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council or representative
Executive Director of Vocational Training Council or representative
Government Chemist or representative
Commissioner for Innovation and Technology or representative

* Newly appointed members

     The Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification was established in September 2009 to advise the Government on the overall development strategy of the testing and certification sector. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman today (December 29) announced that the authority will continue to closely monitor the service demand in Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments and for inpatients on the New Year holiday and the following days. Public hospitals have strengthened manpower to ascertain proper service provision. The HA has also enhanced holiday general out-patient clinic (GOPC) services, in order to cope with increasing service need from members of the public and to alleviate the service pressure on A&E Departments during the long holiday.
 
     Increased activity in influenza and some respiratory pathogens has been observed recently. The HA anticipates that the service demand in public hospitals will continue to rise during the New Year holiday and the following days. The HA spokesman said, “The HA will closely monitor various statistics. Public hospitals have implemented various measures according to the preparedness plan, including opening temporary beds and mobilising hospital beds flexibly, enhancing support for discharge procedures, etc, amid increasing manpower to alleviate the pressure of A&E and inpatient services.”
 
     Eighteen GOPCs will provide public holiday GOPC services on the New Year holiday (January 1, 2024) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the “Book GOPC” function of the “HA Go” mobile app.
 
     The spokesman urges non-urgent patients to avoid attending A&E Departments. They are advised to attend GOPCs, private doctors or the 24-hour clinics of private hospitals as far as practicable. To choose a suitable family doctor and related clinic service, members of the public can browse the Primary Care Directory of the Health Bureau (www.pcdirectory.gov.hk).
 
     Meanwhile, the HA also appeals to members of the public to get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19, especially high-risk groups, to reduce the chance of getting infected for themselves and their family members. Members of the public may find details at 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).
 
     The HA will continue to closely monitor the situation and flexibly deploy resources and manpower when necessary, and will keep increasing its service volume, in order to provide appropriate services for patients.

     GOPC service arrangements for the New Year holiday (January 1, 2024):
 

Region	List of GOPCs	Address	Telephone number for booking	General enquiries
Hong Kong Island	Aberdeen Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen	3543 5011	2555 0381
	Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan	3157 0077	2560 0211
	Violet Peel General Out-patient Clinic	LG, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Community Ambulatory Care Centre, 282 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai	3157 0000	3553 3116
	Kennedy Town Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	45 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town	3543 5088	2817 3215
Kowloon	Kwun Tong Community Health Centre	UG/F, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong	3157 0687	2389 0331
	Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Out-patient Block, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin	3157 0118	2354 2267
	Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic	600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong	3157 0113	2383 3311
	Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	1/F, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei	3157 0880	2272 2400
	Cheung Sha Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	2 Kwong Lee Road, Cheung Sha Wan	3157 0122	2387 8211
New Territories	Lady Trench General Out-patient Clinic	213 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan	3157 0107	2614 4789
	Lek Yuen General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 9 Lek Yuen Street, Sha Tin	3157 0972	2692 8730
	Shek Wu Hui Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 108-130 Jockey Club Road, Shek Wu Hui, Sheung Shui	3157 0965	2670 0211
	Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po	3157 0906	2664 2039
	Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O	3157 0660	2191 1083
	Tuen Mun Clinic	11 Tsing Yin Street, San Hui, Tuen Mun	3543 0886	2452 9111
	Yuen Long Jockey Club Health Centre	269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long	3543 5007	2443 8511
	Ha Kwai Chung General Out-patient Clinic	77 Lai Cho Road, Kwai Chung	3157 0100	3651 5411
	North Lantau Community Health Centre	3/F, North Lantau Hospital, 8 Chung Yan Road, Tung Chung, Lantau Island	3157 0106	3467 7374

 
Service hours: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm read more

     The Working Group on Oral Health and Dental Care, which was established in accordance with “The Chief Executive’s 2022 Policy Address”, released an interim report today (December 29). Having studied areas including local existing dental services and supporting arrangements, primary dental services and manpower resources of dental professionals, the Working Group recommended the Government to work in line with the strategies set out in the Primary Healthcare Blueprint and aim at preventing oral diseases and enhancing the oral health of the community on the premise of improving oral health of all citizens. Concurring with the directions recommended by the Working Group, the Government will work towards the enhancement of dental services by adopting strategies to provide primary services to the general public and targeted services to underprivileged groups in a bid to help citizens enhance their overall oral health through retention of natural teeth.

     The Working Group reviewed earlier various existing public or subsidised dental services, including those for preschool children, primary school children, elderly and persons with financial difficulties or intellectual disabilities, as well as the free emergency dental treatment for the public (commonly known as General Public Sessions). The Working Group was of the view that a series of factors should be taken into account when developing dental services. Such factors include the notion that prevention is better than cure, the importance of primary dental services, ageing population, financial sustainability and manpower resources of dental professionals. At this stage, the Working Group recommended the Government to enhance the manpower supply of dental professionals, make better use of the service capacity of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector, and optimise the arrangements for emergency dental services. In addition, primary dental services suitable for different age groups should be developed, while targeted dental services should be provided as appropriate to the three underprivileged groups, namely persons with financial difficulties, persons with disabilities or special needs and the high-risk groups.

     The interim report is available on the following website: www.healthbureau.gov.hk/download/press_and_publications/otherinfo/231200_dental/e_interim_report.pdf.

     With reference to the preliminary recommendations made by the Working Group earlier, the Chief Executive also announced the following measures in the 2023 Policy Address:

(1) To launch the Primary Dental Co-care Pilot Scheme for Adolescents in 2025 as an interface with the School Dental Care Service for primary school students by providing partial subsidies for private dental check-up services for adolescents aged between 13 and 17 to promote their life-long habit of regular dental check-up for prevention of dental diseases;
(2) to collaborate with NGOs to enhance the emergency dental services targeting the underprivileged groups with financial difficulties in 2025, to expand service capacity, service points and service scope to promote early identification and management of dental diseases;
(3) to strengthen the special care dental services currently provided by the Department of Health to persons with disabilities or special needs in the third quarter of next year (2024); 
(4) to enhance the Elderly Dental Assistance Programme under the Community Care Fund in the third quarter of next year;
(5) to introduce the amendment bill to the Dentists Registration Ordinance into the Legislative Council by mid-2024 to provide new pathways for admitting qualified non-locally trained dentists to practise in specified institutions and modernise the regulatory framework for dentists and ancillary dental workers; and
(6) to gradually increase training places for ancillary dental workers and provide tuition sponsorship starting this academic year.

     The Chairman of the Working Group and the Permanent Secretary for Health, Mr Thomas Chan, said, “I would like to thank the members of the Working Group for their hard work and contribution throughout this year. I hope that they will continue the discussion on relevant topics and submit a complete report before the end of their tenure to present the Government with more recommendations on realising the policy directions and developing dental services.”

     The Working Group was established on December 30, 2022, to review the dental care services provided or subsidised by the Government in terms of policy objectives, service scopes and service delivery models, and also make recommendations to the Government. The Working Group comprises 13 non-official members from various healthcare professions and organisations as well as five ex-officio members for a two-year tenure lasting until December 31, 2024. The Working Group has convened three meetings this year. read more

     The Government announced today (December 29) that the Chief Executive has made appointments and reappointments to the four Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) advisory committees, namely the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACOC), the Operations Review Committee (ORC), the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC) and the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR), and to the ICAC Complaints Committee (ICC). All of the appointments and reappointments are for a term of two years with effect from January 1, 2024. 

ACOC

     The Chief Executive has reappointed Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan (in his capacity as the Chairman of the ORC), Professor Simon Ho Shun-man (in his capacity as the Chairman of the CACCR), Mr Victor Lam Hoi-cheung and Ms Cecilia Lee Sau-wai as members of the ACOC. The Chief Executive has also appointed Dr Kelvin Wong Tin-yau (in his capacity as the Chairman of CPAC) as a new member to the ACOC. 

     Dr Wong is an Executive Director and Deputy Managing Director of a port operator. He is currently the Chairman of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council.
 
     The ACOC advises the Commissioner of ICAC on any aspects of the problem of corruption in Hong Kong, and keeps the operational, staffing and administrative policies of the ICAC under review. 

ORC

     The Chief Executive has reappointed Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan as the Chairman of the ORC. Dr Aron Hari Harilela, Ms Clara Chan Yuen-shan and Mr Felix Li Kwok-hing have been reappointed to the Committee as members. Ms Vivien Lau Man-yee has been newly appointed to the Committee as a member.

     Ms Lau is the Chief Executive of an airport services company. She is a member of the Hong Kong Productivity Council.

     The ORC oversees all ICAC investigations. It reviews corruption complaints received and investigations conducted by the ICAC to ensure that they are handled effectively and efficiently. It also examines circumstances where search warrants are authorised by the Commissioner, where persons have been put on bail for more than six months, and where investigations have been lasting for over a year or require substantial resources.
 
CPAC

     The Chief Executive has appointed Dr Kelvin Wong Tin-yau as the new Chairman of the CPAC. Mr Albert Su Yau-on and Ms Carrie Lau Ka-wai have been reappointed to the Committee as members. Mr Rex Mok Chung-fai has been appointed as a new member of the Committee. 
 
     Mr Mok was a principal of a secondary school. He is a member of the Action Committee Against Narcotics, the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee and the Fight Crime Committee.
 
     The CPAC receives and calls for reports from the ICAC about practices and procedures of government departments, public bodies and the private sector which may be conducive to corruption. It also advises the Commissioner on what areas should be examined and the degree of priority to be accorded to each.

CACCR

     The Chief Executive has reappointed Professor Simon Ho Shun-man as the Chairman of the CACCR. Miss Pinky Lau Pik-yiu, Professor Joshua Mok Ka-ho, Dr James Wong Kong-tin and Miss Jenny Yung Ching-yi have been reappointed as members of the CACCR. Ms Cally Kwong Mei-wan has been appointed as a new member of the Committee.
 
     Ms Kwong is the founder of a jewellery company. She is a member of the Correctional Services Department Complaints Appeal Board.
  
     The CACCR advises the Commissioner on appropriate measures to foster public support in combating corruption and to educate the public against the evils of corruption. It also monitors community response to the ICAC’s work and public attitudes towards corruption in general.

ICC
 
     The Chief Executive has reappointed Executive Council member Dr Lam Ching-choi as the Chairman of the ICC. Legislative Council Members Mr Steven Ho Chun-yin and Ms Eunice Yung Hoi-yan, as well as Ms Connie Lau Yin-hing and Mr Lau Chun-hung, have been reappointed as members of the ICC. Miss Grace Chan man-yee has been appointed as a new member of the ICC.
 
     Miss Chan is the Business Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. She is the Vice-chairperson of the Innovation and Technology Fund General Support Programme Vetting Committee and a member of the Elderly Commission and the Process Review Panel for the Insurance Authority.
 
     The ICC monitors the handling of non-criminal complaints against the ICAC, reviews the ICAC procedures and practices which may lead to complaints, and makes recommendations when necessary.
 
     The Government expresses its gratitude to all outgoing members of the above-mentioned committees, who are retiring on December 31, 2023. Their valuable contributions to the work of the respective committees are greatly appreciated.
 
     The updated non-official membership lists of the four ICAC advisory committees and the ICC are in the Annex. read more

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 29) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of hi… read more