Secretary for Health meets Director of Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with the Director of the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Dr Guo Ziping, today (April 23) to have an in-depth exchange on areas such as the development of Chinese and Western medicine and medical devices in the two places.
Professor Lo said at the meeting, "The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC Central Committee) on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out the need of further reforming the medical and healthcare systems, and improving the mechanisms for supporting the development of innovative drugs and medical equipment. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government strenuously works in line with the national objective of further reforming the medical and healthcare systems, and will promote Hong Kong's development into an international health and medical innovation hub by complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation. We will fully utilise the institutional advantages of 'one country, two systems' and our professional strengths in the healthcare sector, thereby enabling the innovative medical technologies to go global and attract foreign investment, and develop new quality productive forces in biomedicine.
"To achieve this goal, the HKSAR Government will expedite the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices and enhance the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications, such as jointly establishing the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform in concerted efforts by the GBA International Clinical Trial Institute in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the GBA International Clinical Trials Center in the Shenzhen Park; establishing the Real-World Study and Application Centre; preparing for the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation to progress towards the 'primary evaluation' approach; and taking forward at full steam the preparatory work for legislating for the statutory regulation of medical devices.
"At the same time, the HKSAR Government is also committed to developing Hong Kong into a national bridgehead for the internationalisation of Chinese medicine, including fostering international research collaboration on herb-drug interactions, promoting the development of standards, testing and scientific research of Chinese medicines through the the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute, as well as encouraging more large-scale international and regional conferences, exhibitions and mega events on Chinese medicine to be held in Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government will also encourage the Chinese medicine sector to make good use of policies benefitting Hong Kong, such as the arrangement of streamlining approval procedures for Hong Kong-registered traditional proprietary Chinese medicines for external use or oral use to be registered and sold on the Mainland to expedite the development of the Chinese medicine industry and open up new markets."
Professor Lo emphasised that the HKSAR Government will continue to push forward co-operation with Guangdong Province and the Shenzhen Municipality in areas such as cross-boundary healthcare services, training of healthcare staff, medical technology exchanges and Chinese medicine development under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits in a bid to build a "Healthy Bay Area" and further contribute to the overall development of the nation through joint endeavours.
Secretary for Health meets Director of Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health meets Director of Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health meets Director of Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen Municipality Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CHP reminds public to take precautions against cold weather
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 2) reminded the public, particularly the elderly, people with chronic illnesses, outdoor workers, pregnant women, infants and children, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health in view of the cold weather.
Elderly and people with chronic illnesses
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A spokesman for the CHP said that in general, elderly people have less insulating fat, and their body temperature control mechanisms would be weaker. Their body may not respond appropriately to the cold weather. In addition, some senior persons may have decreased mobility, which can impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat.
Chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes or hypothyroidism, would lower their metabolic rate, subsequently causing their body to generate less heat. Besides, persons with chronic illnesses, such as chronic respiratory illnesses or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, are vulnerable to disease aggravation due to cold weather.
The spokesman reminded the public, in particular the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, to adopt the following preventive measures:
Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks, accordingly;
Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;
Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;
Stay in a warm environment. Avoid going out in the morning and at night when the temperature is lower, and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;
Use heaters with care and maintain adequate indoor ventilation;
Avoid alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol cannot keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead; and
Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.
Infants, children and pregnant women
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Infants and young children are more susceptible to heat loss during the cold weather. The spokesman reminded parents that they should ensure babies are sufficiently warm, but it is also important to keep babies relatively lightly clothed to avoid overheating them. When children engage in outdoor activities, their clothing should be adjusted accordingly, and changed quickly if soaked. Infants, young children and pregnant women should also try to avoid going out in the morning and at night when the temperature is lower.
Parents should observe the following safety measures when putting their children to bed:
Keep the room well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature;
Always place babies on their backs to sleep. Leave their heads, faces and arms uncovered during sleep;
Babies do not need pillows. Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects, pillows and loose bedding;
Let babies sleep in a cot placed near their parents' bed; and
Maintain a smoke-free environment.
Outdoor workers
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Outdoor workers should take heed of the weather report and wear appropriate warm clothing for work. Clothing should be changed as soon as possible if soaked. When the Cold Weather Warning is in force, they should take appropriate precautions. They should take a break immediately and seek help and medical attention if feeling unwell.
General public
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In addition, many respiratory pathogens, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, may have increasing activity and community transmission during winter. Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccinations early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on theCHP'swebsite.
A person who gets influenza and COVID-19 at the same time may become more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. It is important for elderly persons, especially those residing in residential care homes, to receive both a seasonal influenza vaccination and a COVID-19 vaccination. They should also receive an additional booster against COVID-19 according to recommendations as soon as possible. The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against respiratory illnesses and note the following:
Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
Avoid touching one's eyes, mouth and nose;
Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
Maintain good indoor ventilation;
When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.
Food-borne diseases, particularly those linked to hotpot cuisine, are also common in cold weather. The following preventive measures should be taken:
Wash hands before handling and consuming food;
Do not patronise unlicensed vendors or those with poor hygienic standards while selecting food;
Wash and cook all food thoroughly;
Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in clean running water before cooking and consumption. When appropriate, scrub vegetables with hard surfaces with a clean brush to remove dirt and substances, including pesticide residues and contaminants, from surfaces and crevices;
Shrimps should be fully cooked until the shells turn red and the flesh turns white and opaque;
For shellfish such as scallops and geoduck, scrub the shells thoroughly and remove internal organs;
Do not eat any undercooked freshwater aquatic products. To ensure that the food is thoroughly cooked, the centre of the food should reach a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius so as to destroy pathogens;
Most hotpot ingredients should be stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees C or below, while frozen food should be stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C or below;
Never use raw eggs as a dipping sauce for hotpot; and
Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.
In addition, when using fuel-burning appliances, especially in indoor areas, the public should ensure adequate ventilation to avoid harmful exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and prevent CO poisoning.
Fo more health information, the public may call the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111) or visit theCHP's websiteandFacebook Fanpageas well as press releases of the Labour Department on precautions against cold weather for outdoor workers and their employers when the Cold Weather Warning is in force.
The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit thewebsite of the Hong Kong Observatoryfor the latest weather information and forecasts, or itspage on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.
Source: AI-found images
