DH continues to follow up on suspected closure of private healthcare facilities
Regarding the suspected closure of certain private healthcare facilities, the Department of Health (DH) today (May 14) appealed to members of the public who have received laboratory or diagnostic radiology services through the private healthcare facilities in question, and cannot obtain and follow up on the laboratory test reports through their doctors, to contact the DH's telephone hotline for appropriate follow-up action.
As announced on May 2, the Government set up an inter-departmental dedicated team to follow up on the incident. The team comprises representatives from the Security Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the DH and the Consumer Council.
The DH has set up a telephone hotline, email and a WhatsApp account since May 3 for public enquiries on related issues. As at 5pm today, a total of 149 enquiries were received. Most of the enquiries were related to vaccines for children or other age groups. One enquiry about laboratory services has been received.
Laboratory reports
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After learning that the private health care facilities in question had used the laboratory services of a local private hospital for laboratory services, the DH also took the initiative to contact the private hospital and offer assistance in delivering 11 laboratory reports to the referring doctor so that the cases of relevant members of the public could be followed up appropriately.
For the sake of prudence, the DH is also reaching out to local registered professionals operating medical laboratories and radiological imaging services, inviting them to contact the DH for assistance if they are unable to deliver any laboratory reports to referring doctors from the private healthcare facilities in question.
Anyone who has received laboratory or diagnostic radiological imaging services through the private healthcare facilities in question and has not yet been able to obtain the report from their doctor may call the DH hotline (2125 1188), which operates from 9am to 5pm daily, or send an email to dhhelpdesk_2501@dh.gov.hk or WhatsApp messages to 6170 8006 for assistance.
Childhood immunisation
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All 29 Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) under the DH provide vaccination services for infants and young children from birth to 5 years of age under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP). Parents of the affected infants and young children in the above age group, whether Hong Kong residents or not, may make appointments at the nearest MCHCs of the DH (see Annex) for timely completion of the vaccines included in the HKCIP based on scientific evidence. The vaccination is free of charge for eligible persons and payable by non-eligible persons. As of yesterday, the MCHCs of the DH have provided support to 54 parents of affected infants and young children including health advice to parents or arranging vaccinations for their children at MCHCs.
For other vaccines that are not included in the HKCIP based on scientific evidence, the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) has engaged with family doctors and healthcare facilities. Currently, there is a stable supply of relevant vaccines in the private sector, and the service providers are ready to provide vaccination services to people in need. To this end, the PHC Commission has reminded family doctors listed in the Primary Care Directory (PCD) to update their practice information, particularly on the provision of vaccination services, to enable citizens in need to identify suitable family doctors. Members of the public can search for the practice information of relevant family doctors by selecting immunisation (including various vaccines for children) under "Services Provision" in the PCD (apps.pcdirectory.gov.hk/Public/EN/AdvancedSearch?ProfID=RMP). They are advised to contact the relevant family doctors in advance to confirm service details, fees and other relevant matters before making vaccination arrangements.
Public enquiries
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The DH has provided appropriate health information and vaccination-related professional advice to meet the different needs of the enquirers. The DH has also assisted parents in need in arranging for their children to receive vaccinations at the DH's MCHCs and advised them on how to receive vaccines not included in the HKCIP according to scientific evidence or vaccines for other age groups.
The DH has compiled a series of Frequently Asked Questions from recently received enquiries and uploaded them to the DH's websitefor public reference.
The DH will continue to join hands with other members of the inter-departmental dedicated team to follow up on the incident and take appropriate actions, with a view to handling all cases as soon as possible and provide assistance to those affected by the incident.
CFS to follow up certain batches of powdered infant and young children formula with possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 10) said that, it took initiative to meet with Nestlé Hong Kong again today, and confirmed the company's today announcement of an additional batch of powdered infant and young children formula suspected to have possibly used the raw material concerned. Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall. The CFS has collected samples of powdered infant and young children formula from the market for Bacillus cereus testing, the test results so far were satisfactory. The Environmental and Ecology Bureau is also closely monitoring the supply situation of other formula milk powder and maintaining communication with other major suppliers. It is noted that there is sufficient formula milk powder to meet the demand.
The spokesman said, the CFS has been actively following up on Nestlé company's voluntary and precautionary recalls of certain batches of its powdered infant and young children formula in certain areas in Europe due to possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus in the individual raw material. According to the latest information from Nestlé Hong Kong today, an additional batch of its powdered infant and young children formula imported into Hong Kong might have used the raw material concerned. The CFS had earlier enhanced surveillance in the market and collected a sample from the above batch for testing of Bacillus cereus. The test result of the sample was satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall.
Product details are as follows:
Product name (Net weight): NAN PRO 1 2 HMO (800g)
Batch number: 51670742F2
Best-before date: June 16, 2027
Place of Origin: Germany
"The CFS met Nestlé Hong Kong again today, urging them to properly handle the product recall issue and respond to public enquiries, in order to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the CFS and Nestlé Hong Kong have jointly followed up, six suspected affected batches of infant and young children formula products that had not entered the market were marked and sealed. An additional 15 batches are currently en route to Hong Kong and will also be marked and sealed upon arrival. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the recall matters and remain fully committed to ensuring food safety, " the spokesman said.
Nestlé Hong Kong has initiated a recall of the affected batches of the products concerned. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may contact the company through the following channels:
Consumer services hotline: 2599 8874 / 2797 6031/ 2179 8136 (Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm)
Email: consumerservices@hk.nestle.com
WhatsApp: 5283 4139 (NESTLÉ® NAN®) / 2599 8871 (Wyeth® Nutrition)
Online form: forms.office.com/e/BhqMhWfsUG?origin=lprLink
Consumers may choose to bring along the products (brand new or opened) for refund at place of purchase, or at exclusive service counters of Nestlé Nutrition Services from January 13 (Tuesday) onwards, to settle the recall and refund of the batches of the products concerned. Details of the exclusive service counters are as follows:
Kowloon Services Counter
Address: G/F, Park Hovan Commercial Building, 18 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Jordon Station Exit D)
Contact number: 3996 8196
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm; Sunday, 1pm to 5.30pm (except public holidays)
Hong Kong Services Counter
Address: 1/F, Ka Nin Wah Commercial Building, 423-425 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong (MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit B)
Contact number: 3996 8197
Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm (except Sundays and public holidays)
The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted earlier that certain batches of Nestlé powdered infant formula were being voluntarily recalled in Europe due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS has immediately initiated follow up actions, published food incident posts to inform the public and the trade about the issue, and has been actively following up on the incident and enhanced surveillance.
Over the past three days (as of 4pm on January 9), the FEHD received a total of 18 food complaints and enquiries suspected to be related to the infant and young children formula products, including one anonymous complaint without contact information. The CFS and the Environmental Hygiene Branch have promptly followed up on all cases, including contacting the parties concerned to obtain details and collecting samples for testing. In addition, the CFS has referred the cases to the health department for follow-up. At present, no food poisoning cases related to the formula have been recorded.
Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.
The spokesman urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batches of the products, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the products concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately.
"The CFS continues to closely monitor the developments of the situation, follow up and take appropriate action," the spokesman said.
Source: AI-found images
