Professor Lo Represents Hong Kong at 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Focuses on Global Health Issues.

2025-05-20 09:00 Last Updated At：09:08

Secretary for Health attends 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, attended the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday (May 19, Geneva time).

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Secretary for Health attends 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Secretary for Health attends 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Professor Lo and the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, attended the Assembly as members of the Chinese delegation. The theme of this year's Assembly is "One World for Health", and the discussions cover a wide range of issues, including universal health coverage, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, health emergency preparedness and response, mental health and social connection, standardisation of medical devices nomenclature and the International Health Regulations. The Minister of the National Health Commission (NHC), Mr Lei Haichao, delivered a speech about healthcare developments of the Mainland at the plenary session.

In addition to attending the plenary session, Professor Lo and Dr Lam also attended a side meeting with the Director of the Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes of the WHO, Dr Meg Doherty, to exchange views on the work on the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), syphilis and hepatitis B (also known as "triple elimination"). Professor Lo said, "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is committed to promoting and safeguarding maternal and child health and accords high priority to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. We have performed preliminary assessment on the progress and outcome of our work on 'triple elimination' according to the guidance issued by the WHO and are contemplating the submission of a request for validation of 'triple elimination' to the WHO this year. We will maintain close communication with the Regional Office for the Western Pacific Regional Validation Secretariat to push forward the relevant progress."

During the meeting with the Assistant Director-General, Antimicrobial Resistance ad interim of the WHO, Dr Yukiko Nakatani, Professor Lo said that the HKSAR Government has long been attaching great importance to the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and has launched two editions of the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2017 and 2022 respectively. A series of corresponding prevention and control measures have been implemented across different sectors to curb the spread of antimicrobial resistance under the framework of "One Health", including surveillance, optimising the use of antimicrobials, health education and training.

Professor Lo and Dr Lam also met with the Permanent Secretary (Policy and Development) of the Ministry of Health of Singapore, Ms Lai Wei Lin, to exchange views on communicable diseases prevention and surveillance, epidemiological investigation, response to communicable diseases with significant public health impacts, actions to combat antimicrobial resistance, and regulation of drugs and medical devices. Professor Lo said, "We eagerly anticipate further synergising the efforts and sharing the best practices of the two places to bolster public health protection and promote medical innovation to deepen the reform of the medical and healthcare system."

In the evening, Professor Lo and Dr Lam also attended a thematic side event cohosted by the NHC and health authorities of Ethiopia, Peru, Tanzania and Thailand. The side event, themed "Empowering Primary Health Care with Digital Intelligence for Universal Health Coverage", was moderated by the Dean of the Vanke School of Public Health of the Tsinghua University, Professor Margaret Chan. Mr Lei delivered a keynote speech at the side event.

After arriving in Geneva on May 18 (Geneva time), Professor Lo and Dr Lam met with Mr Lei and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, Mr Chen Xu, to discuss the latest healthcare developments of the Mainland and Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's participation in WHO-related work.

Professor Lo and Dr Lam will continue to attend the WHA today (May 20, Geneva time).

Nestlé Hong Kong Recalls Additional Infant Formula Over Bacillus Cereus Contamination Concerns

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.

Professor Lo Represents Hong Kong at 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Focuses on Global Health Issues.

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