Led by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, the high-level Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) delegation continued to proactively participate in the third Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in Beijing today (October 18), with six government officials and nine non-official delegation members speaking or moderating at nine parallel forums respectively. All members of the delegation also respectively attended the nine parallel forums for full participation in the events of the Forum.
      
     Mr Lee, together with the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, and the Chairman of John Swire & Sons (HK), Mr Guy Bradley, attended the opening ceremony of the Forum this morning.
      
     Under the theme of "High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity", the Forum featured nine parallel forums this afternoon, namely three high-level forums focusing on connectivity, green development and digital economy, and six thematic forums covering trade connectivity, people-to-people connectivity, think tank exchanges, clean silk road, sub-national co-operation and maritime co-operation.
      
     Speaking at the high-level forum on connectivity, Mr Lee briefed the participants on Hong Kong's work in and contribution to enhancing "hard connectivity" in infrastructure as well as "soft connectivity" in regulations and standards.
      
     Mr Lee said that under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support from the country and being closely connected to the world, and has all along served as a two-way platform between the country and Belt and Road countries, as well as a key link for the Belt and Road and global investment, business and trade. He pointed out that in addition to providing an important channel for connectivity of capital under the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI), Hong Kong also serves as a premier gateway for passengers and goods from all over the world to the Mainland and vice versa. At the same time, Hong Kong is committed to promoting "soft connectivity", including connectivity in professional services and people-to-people bond.
      
     He said that the HKSAR would strive to strengthen bilateral and multilateral economic and trade relations with Belt and Road countries, with a view to further enhancing the connectivity between the country and the world.
      
     In his speech delivered at the thematic forum on sub-national co-operation, Mr Lee highlighted regional co-operation as an integral part of the concerted effort to develop the Belt and Road, and elaborated on how Hong Kong promotes co-operation on various fronts. These included actively promoting in-depth integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the B&RI, and joining hands with other GBA cities in pursuing high-level regional co-operation; signing free trade agreements with 20 economies and investment agreements with 31 economies around the world; striving to seek for early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to deepen regional economic collaboration; signing memoranda of understanding on cultural co-operation with Belt and Road partner countries to foster arts and cultural exchanges; encouraging co-operation in education and training through the Belt and Road Scholarship and the Scheme for Subsidy on Exchange to Belt and Road Regions for Post-secondary Students; as well as proactively mobilising the professional forces to collaborate with Belt and Road counterparts in training.
      
     A Hong Kong Chapter moderated by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, was featured at the thematic forum on sub-national co-operation. Mr Lam was joined by the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho; Member of the Chief Executive's Council of Advisers Dr Allan Zeman; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Dr Peter Lam; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dr Pang Yiu-kai; and the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Mr Nicolas Aguzin, in sharing with the participants Hong Kong's strengths in international legal and dispute resolution services, business environment and financing, as well as the latest developments in the participation and contribution of the younger generation in Hong Kong in the B&RI, Hong Kong's assistance for enterprises in tapping business opportunities, and the work of Hong Kong's professional services in promoting people-to-people bond along the Belt and Road.
      
     Mr Chan and the President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Nancy Ip, respectively spoke at the high-level forum on green development and the high-level forum on digital economy. Mr Paul Lam and the Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr Woo Ying-ming, spoke at the thematic forum on clean silk road while the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and Mr Bradley spoke at the thematic forum on maritime co-operation. Meanwhile, the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council and Co-Chair of Maritime Silk Road Society, Mrs Regina Ip, and the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Eddie Yue, spoke at the thematic forums on think tank exchanges and trade connectivity respectively. The Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Mr Kenneth Fok, moderated at the thematic forum on people-to-people bond.
      
     Mr Lee and the delegation will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (October 19).

                              

     The Innovation and Technology Commission today (October 18) launched the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+ Scheme) and the first application solicitation exercise. The deadline for application will be November 30. Eligible universities are welcome to apply.
      
     "In order to promote commercialisation of research and development (R&D) outcomes, the Government hopes that the scheme can incentivise collaboration among industry, academic and research sectors to further promote the '1 to N' transformation of R&D outcomes and the industry development," a spokesman for the Commission said.
      
     With a funding allocation of $10 billion, the RAISe+ Scheme will fund, on a matching basis, at least 100 research teams in eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee, which have good potential to become successful start-ups. Funding support from $10 million to $100 million will be provided to each approved project. Assessment criteria include the I&T component of the project, commercial viability of project outcomes, technical and management capability of the team, relevance of the project with government policies or in the project's overall interest to the community, as well as the financial considerations of the project.
      
     The Commission expects the first batch of application results to be announced in the first quarter of 2024 after assessment of applications. Details are available on the RAISe+ Scheme website (www.itf.gov.hk/en/raiseplus). For enquiries, please contact the Secretariat of the scheme (Tel: 3655 5678; email: raiseplus@itc.gov.hk).

     The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) and the Youth Development Commission (YDC) jointly launched the 2024-25 Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland today (October 18). Eligible non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are invited to submit applications.
      
     The Government attaches great importance to youth development. The HYAB promulgated the Youth Development Blueprint in end-2022, which states that the Government will further strengthen the breadth and depth of the Mainland and international internship and exchange programmes with a view to enhancing young people's understanding of the country and supporting their integration into the overall development of the country. Through the Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland, the HYAB and the YDC provide funding for NGOs to organise youth internship projects on the Mainland for young people to experience first-hand the actual workplace environment therein and deepen their understanding of the Mainland's employment market, workplace culture and development opportunities. It will help young people set their future career goals, accumulate work experience, build an interpersonal network and boost their employment advantage in the future.
      
     Details of the new round of the funding scheme and application forms are available on the YDC website (www.ydc.gov.hk/en/programmes/ip/ip_fundingscheme.html). Interested NGOs should submit their applications on or before  November 17.

     The Department of Health (DH) conducted an operation yesterday evening (October 17) against a retail shop in Yau Ma Tei for suspected illegal sale and possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part 1 poisons. A 32-year-old woman was arrested by the Police during the operation.
 
     Upon intelligence, a retail shop in Yau Ma Tei was found selling some unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part 1 poisons, including pain killers and cough and cold medicines.
 
     Preliminary investigation indicated that, among the 20 types of products seized during the enforcement operation, many contained Part 1 poisons under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (the Ordinance) (including ibuprofen, dihydrocodeine, dextromethorphan, prednisolone, triamcinolone acetonide, felbinac, ketoprofen, hyoscine, tranexamic acid and miconazole). All the products did not bear Hong Kong registration numbers for pharmaceutical products and were labelled in foreign languages (including Japanese and English). The DH's investigation is ongoing.
 
     Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain killer and its side effects include nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort and peptic ulcers. Dihydrocodeine is an opioid analgesic and may cause nausea, vomiting and constipation. Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant used for the relief of non-productive cough and adverse effects may include dizziness and gastrointestinal disturbances. Prednisolone and triamcinolone acetonide are steroid substances for treating inflammation. Inappropriate use of steroids could cause skin problems and systemic side effects such as moon face, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, adrenal insufficiency and osteoporosis. Felbinac and ketoprofen are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which could be used topically to relieve pain. Inappropriate use of felbinac and ketoprofen may cause erythema and dermatitis. Hyoscine is used in the management of nausea and vomiting. Common side effects of hyoscine include dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation. Tranexamic acid is used in the treatment and prophylaxis of haemorrhage and can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, and inappropriate use may cause cerebral thrombosis. Miconazole is used for the treatment of fungal infections with side effects including local irritation and sensitivity reactions. Products containing the above ingredients should only be supplied by a pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. Certain products could only be supplied upon a doctor's prescription.     
 
     According to the Ordinance, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market. Illegal sale or possession of Part 1 poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.     
 
     The DH strongly urges members of the public not to buy or use unregistered pharmaceutical products as their safety, efficacy and quality are not guaranteed. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of "HK-XXXXX". ​    
 
     Members of the public should not self-medicate without advice from healthcare professionals. People who have purchased and used the above products should stop using them and consult healthcare professionals if in doubt or feeling unwell after use. They may submit the products to the Drug Office of the DH at Room 1801, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.

  

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Junius Ho and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 18):
 
Question:
 
     The Out-patient Methadone Treatment Programme (Programme) of the Department of Health provides methadone maintenance treatment and detoxification treatment services. There are views that the Programme mainly provides drug substitutes to patients only, and is not effective in assisting them to get rid of drug addiction and get back on the right track. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the expenditure and staffing establishment of the Programme in each of the past five years, and whether it has assessed the actual effectiveness of the Programme in assisting patients to get rid of drug addiction;
 
(2) whether the Government reviewed the situation of the patients under the Programme in the past five years, including the number of patients, the number of years of receiving treatment, the number of persons who developed side effects or complications after receiving treatment and their mortality rate, etc.; if so, of the details; and
 
(3) whether it has formulated long-term plans and performance indicators for the Programme, so as to achieve the long-term objectives of assisting in the rehabilitation of patients and reducing the number of drug addicts; if so, of the details?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government has all along been combatting drugs with a multi-pronged strategy encompassing preventive education and publicity, drug treatment and rehabilitation (T&R), legislation and law enforcement, external co-operation, and research. T&R is an integral part of this strategy. Our policy is that we should help drug abusers to stay away from drugs, and T&R services should be provided to suit persons with different backgrounds and needs through the adoption of a multi-modality approach.
 
     According to international medical knowledge and standards, abusers of opiate drugs should receive sustained treatment and support, so as to reduce the cost arising from their drug addiction problems that individuals, families and society have to bear. Using methadone as a maintenance agent in the treatment for abusers of opiate drugs is currently recognised as one of the most effective treatments by the international medical community and is endorsed by organisations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization. At present, this treatment is widely used worldwide, including the Mainland, Macao and other regions such as the United Kingdom and the United States.
 
     Launched in 1972, the voluntary Out-patient Methadone Treatment Programme (Programme) in Hong Kong adopts an open-door policy, where people in need may attend any methadone clinic voluntarily to receive services. The Programme has been implemented for over 50 years. Currently, the Department of Health (DH) manages a total of 18 clinics in various districts across the territory. The Programme adopts an integrated treatment approach, offering professional counselling and social welfare support to provide holistic care alongside the provision of methadone as a maintenance agent. Methadone helps reduce the discomfort of abusers of opiate drugs when they go through detoxification, and prevent them from falling prey to temptation of taking drugs again and even committing crimes. Apart from helping drug abusers stay away from drugs, the Programme provides a legal, effective, affordable and readily accessible alternative to illegal opiate drugs to people who are unable to attain total abstinence; reduces crime and anti-social behaviour arising from drug abuse; enables drug abusers to lead a normal productive life and continue their work; and prevents the spread of diseases , in particular blood-borne diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis B and tetanus, through reduction of intravenous drug taking and needle-sharing.
 
     My reply to the three parts of the question raised by the Member is as follows:
 
(1) and (2) Regarding the expenditure of the Programme, according to DH, the actual annual expenditure in the past five financial years (i.e. between 2018-19 and 2022-23) was $55.4 million, $57 million, $57.1 million, $60.1 million and $54.2 million respectively.
 
     As regards manpower, there are a total of 13 civil servant posts in the establishment. In addition, DH has arranged part-time staff and entrusted the Auxiliary Medical Service to serve the methadone clinics.
 
     As to patient statistics, in the past five years, the Programme recorded an average of over 3 800 daily attendance, and these patients have been receiving treatment for about six years on average. Medically, there is no time limit for using methadone as a maintenance agent. In general, the longer the treatment period, the less public order and personal health problems arising from drug relapse occurs.
 
     The Government does not maintain statistics on the number of cases involving side effects, complications or deaths arising from participation in the Programme. That said, methadone has been used for decades both internationally and locally and is generally regarded as a safe and effective medication.
 
     As regards effectiveness of the Programme, according to the "UNODC-WHO Joint Programme on drug dependence treatment and care" published in 2009, investing in treatment for drug dependence can bring many benefits to society, such as lowering healthcare-related costs, improving security and contributing to social cohesion and development. It was estimated that for an average of every one US dollar spent on methadone treatment or other similar evidence-based addiction treatment, six US dollars were saved in terms of costs for security, health and welfare for the society. In the same year, the UNODC and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS also shared with their members the success of the Programme in Hong Kong.
 
     Over the years, both the Government and the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) have reviewed and provided advice on the Programme. In 2012, DH commissioned independent international consultants to review the Programme. Apart from reaffirming its effectiveness, the review recommended continued implementation of the Programme in Hong Kong. DH conducted in-house studies again in 2017 and 2022. Study findings revealed that when compared with drug abusers who did not participate in the Programme in the previous year, the rates of illicit opiate drug administration, abusing more than one type of drugs, being arrested for committing crimes in the previous year and unemployment of those receiving sustained methadone treatment were lower, and they also had more harmonious relationships with their family members.
 
(3) Over the past 10 years, the overall number of reported drug abusers in Hong Kong has dropped by more than half. According to the statistics of the Government's Central Registry of Drug Abuse, while heroin (commonly known by its Chinese street name as "white powder") is still the most commonly abused drug, accounting for about 40 per cent of the total number of reported drug abusers in Hong Kong, the number of reported abusers of narcotics analgesics which includes opiate drugs (mainly heroin) has dropped significantly over the past decade, from 5 847 in 2012 to 2 145 in 2022, representing a decrease of 63 per cent. This shows that the anti-drug efforts against opiate drug abuse, including the Programme as mentioned in the question, have also been effective.
 
     Regarding performance indicators, the Controlling Officer's Report of DH has adopted an average attendance rate of more than 70 per cent of patients registered with methadone clinics as the performance measure, and the target has been met in recent years.
 
     As the Programme has proved to be effective, the Government will continue to implement it so as to fulfil its function by providing services to those who need it. Besides, the Government will make adjustments to the anti-drug strategies and measures from time to time by taking into account the latest drug situation, observations from frontline professionals and views of ACAN and stakeholders. We will work with different sectors of the community with a view to keeping the overall drug problem in Hong Kong continuously under control.
 
     Thank you, President.