LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 4263 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 5 March 2003 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA FAN HSU LAI-TAI, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH TING WOO-SHOU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LUI MING-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG 4264 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE HUI CHEUNG-CHING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KWOK-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE BERNARD CHAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE YEUNG YIU-CHUNG, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 4265 THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, J.P. THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LAU HON-CHUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHOY SO-YUK THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HENRY WU KING-CHEONG, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL MAK KWOK-FUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE LEUNG FU-WAH, M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LO WING-LOK THE HONOURABLE WONG SING-CHI THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE 4266 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 THE HONOURABLE LAU PING-CHEUNG THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. MEMBERS ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID CHU YU-LIN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE DONALD TSANG YAM-KUEN, G.B.M., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE ANTONY LEUNG KAM-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE ELSIE LEUNG OI-SIE, G.B.M., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, PLANNING AND LANDS PROF THE HONOURABLE ARTHUR LI KWOK-CHEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 4267 DR THE HONOURABLE YEOH ENG-KIONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FOOD THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH WONG WING-PING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE DR THE HONOURABLE PATRICK HO CHI-PING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN IP SHU-KWAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LABOUR DR THE HONOURABLE SARAH LIAO SAU-TUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND WORKS THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK MA SI-HANG SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS CLERK IN ATTENDANCE: MR RICKY FUNG CHOI-CHEUNG, J.P., SECRETARY GENERAL 4268 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Massage Establishments (Amendment) Regulation 2003 ........................................ 51/2003 Probate and Administration Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 2003 ............................... 52/2003 Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549) (Commencement) Notice 2003 ....................... 53/2003 Chinese Medicines Regulation (Cap. 549 sub. leg.) (Commencement) Notice 2003 ....................... 54/2003 Chinese Medicine (Fees) Regulation (Cap. 549 sub. leg.) (Commencement) Notice 2003 ....................... 55/2003 Chinese Medicines Traders (Regulatory) Regulation (Cap. 549 sub. leg.) (Commencement) Notice 2003.............................................. 56/2003 Shipping and Port Control Regulations (Amendment of Third and Seventh Schedules) Notice 2002 (L.N. 123 of 2002) (Commencement) Notice 2003.............................................. 57/2003 Other Papers No. 67 ─ Estimates for the year ending 31 March 2004 Volume IA - General Revenue Account Volume IB - General Revenue Account No. 68 ─ Estimates for the year ending 31 March 2004 Volume II - Fund Accounts LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 4269 WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Medical and Health Services 1. MS CYD HO (in Chinese): Madam President, with regard to medical and health services, particularly relating to public health and preventing the spread of diseases, will the Government inform this Council: (a) of the number of occasions in the past three years on which the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, Department of Health (DH) and Hospital Authority (HA) communicated with the corresponding Guangdong authorities in respect of matters relating to medical and health services, and list out, in chronological order of the communications, the issues discussed, the responsible local and Guangdong officials involved, the outcome of the discussions and the follow-up actions taken by the relevant authorities in Hong Kong and Guangdong; and (b) whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the communication mechanism mentioned above; if it has, of the assessment results; whether it will improve and enhance this communication mechanism; if it will, of the implementation timetable, the responsible officials, the circumstances in which the mechanism will be activated, as well as other relevant details? SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FOOD (in Chinese): Madam President, (a) Hong Kong operates an effective public health control system, including monitoring the pattern and trend of communicable diseases, through efforts on international, regional and local fronts. We maintain an international network for the exchange of epidemiological information through the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, the WHO requires notification of all cases of cholera, yellow fever and plague and routine report of statistics on cases of rabies, leprosy, acute flaccid paralysis and virus isolation 4270 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 data (including influenza). We will report to the WHO incidents involving infectious disease outbreaks which may have global public health significance. Locally, we have in place a statutory notification system for 27 infectious diseases. The DH also operates a comprehensive disease surveillance system comprising hospitals, clinics and laboratories. In addition, Hong Kong also maintains close contact with the Ministry of Health in Beijing. The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, the DH and the HA may contact officers in the Ministry of Health through meetings and exchanges to discuss a wide range of public health issues which are of interest to both sides. These include the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health promotion, healthcare management practices, the development of traditional Chinese medicine, and so on. Contacts are also made, wherever necessary, at the provincial level. There is regular exchange of information between the DH of Hong Kong and Guangdong Province on specific communicable diseases such as cholera, viral hepatitis, malaria and HIV/AIDS. In the event of an outbreak of disease in the Mainland, we will also contact the mainland health authorities immediately through various means to obtain the latest information. Details of meetings between Hong Kong and Guangdong health sector in the past three years in respect of matters relating to medical and health services are listed at Annex. (b) We have established channels of communication between the DH in Hong Kong and the health authorities in the Mainland. For outbreaks of diseases which are of public health importance, immediate contacts will be made through the established channels. In the light of recent developments, we shall review our communication channels to ensure even closer collaboration with the mainland authorities for timely exchange of information on public health issues. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 March 2003 4271 Annex Communication between Hong Kong and the Mainland on Health Issues Date Details of Meetings March 2000 Officers from the DH met with the Pearl River Delta Region HIV/AIDS Research Group of Guangdong Province to discuss the control of AIDS/HIV across the border. The information exchange on surveillance on AIDS/HIV was enhanced. May 2000 A delegation of the Health Department of Guangdong Province attended the HA Convention to exchange views with senior executives of HA on hospital management issues. June 2000 The DH held a meeting with health authorities of Guangzhou, Hainan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macao. A mechanism for rapid exchange of information on communicable disease outbreaks was established to strengthen the virological and epidemiological surveillance. Monthly reports of selected communicable diseases have been exchanged since the meeting. August 2000 Representatives from Shenzhen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (深圳市中醫院) met with DH officers to exchange views and experience on Traditional Chinese Medicine.