Latest figures of primary healthcare services provided by Health Bureau to residents affected by Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire
The Health Bureau (HHB) announced earlier the medical support provided for residents affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. At present, the District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) across all 18 districts in Hong Kong serve as hubs to co-ordinate various primary healthcare services as needed for the affected residents. The HHB announced today (December 25) the latest figures of these services:
DHC hotlines
Under the co-ordination of the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission), the DHCs across all 18 districts in Hong Kong have set up hotlines since December 1 (see Annex 1) to provide personalised case management services for affected residents, offering more convenient and comprehensive medical support. The support includes pairing the affected residents with free consultation services provided by private family doctors and Chinese medicine (CM) practitioners, co-ordinating arrangements for follow-up appointments and medication refills at the Hospital Authority (HA)'s Family Medicine Out-patient (FMOP) Services as necessary, and making referrals to necessary healthcare, nursing and medication services, as well as psychological support. The services co-ordinated by DHCs are not subject to district boundaries. For example, the Centres may assist affected residents in transferring HA FMOP follow-up appointments and medication refill service points, from the Tai Po District to another location, thereby sparing residents the need for travelling across districts. As of December 23, the DHCs hotlines across all 18 districts have received over 176 enquiries in total.
Free consultations by family doctors and CM practitioners and free denture replacement services
The HHB introduced a free family doctor service scheme and free CM consultation services on December 4 and 15 respectively to support the primary healthcare needs of the affected residents until February 28 next year. Case managers of the DHCs will arrange for them to receive up to three free consultations by family doctors and CM practitioners respectively based on their individual situations and preferences. The service covers the provision of medication and related treatments. Additionally, free denture replacement services were launched on December 23. Residents in need can receive at least one free dental consultation and one follow-up appointment (subject to clinical need) through the arrangement of the DHCs. The services include denture replacement and oral treatment.
As of December 23, more than 300 private family doctors have participated in the free family doctor service scheme, covering more than 450 service points that include eight private hospitals. So far, 57 affected residents have been arranged to receive free family doctor consultations. As for the free CM consultation services, more than 360 CM practitioners have participated, covering more than 600 service points, and 16 residents have been arranged to receive the services so far. Regarding free denture replacement services, more than 80 private dentists have participated, covering 106 service points.
HA's healthcare services
All individuals injured in the fire and admitted to public hospitals under the HA will receive full fee waivers for all necessary healthcare services (including drugs and medical devices) throughout the entire process of their treatment and rehabilitation. A total of 79 patients received treatment at various public hospitals due to the fire. As of December 23, 65 of them had already recovered and were discharged, and the remaining 14 are in stable condition. Healthcare staff will continue to provide appropriate treatment and care to these patients.
Moreover, all residents of the eight blocks at Wang Fuk Court (including foreign domestic helpers) are eligible for full medical fee waivers until December 31, 2026. The waivers cover in-patient services, family medicine and specialist out-patient clinics (SOPCs) services (including psychiatry SOPCs), accident and emergency services, day hospitals, day procedures, community services, and Chinese Medicine Clinics cum Training and Research Centres under the HA. As of December 23, the HA has provided necessary healthcare services to around 1 600 affected residents.
Mental health support
The "18111 - Mental Health Support Hotline" immediately deployed additional staff and strengthened training for its call handlers on the day of the fire incident to cope with the emotional distress that the public may experience due to the incident. From the time of the incident to December 23, the hotline has received over 8 300 calls, around 660 of which were related to the fire incident. The WhatsApp service has handled 420 messages, with about 50 of them concerning the fire incident. The HA's 24-hour Mental Health Direct hotline, manned by psychiatric nurses, offers professional advice and support on mental health issues to callers, including provision of risk assessment and referral to the HA's mental health services as appropriate. As of December 23, the Mental Health Direct hotline has received 89 calls related to the fire incident, with 31 of them coming from the affected citizens.
The HHB will continue to provide comprehensive primary healthcare support to the affected residents. The HHB also designed the relevant service workflow from the residents' perspective, allowing them to receive convenient and effective medical support simply through the DHCs (see Annex 2).
Source: AI-found images
HKSAR Government expresses dissatisfaction with and opposition to unfounded comments by individual so-called human rights experts on Lai Chee-ying case
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (December 24) expressed dissatisfaction with and opposition to the unfounded comments by individual so-called human rights experts after the court of the HKSAR convicted Lai Chee-ying of offences of endangering national security in strict accordance with the law and evidence.
A spokesperson for the HKSAR Government pointed out, "The HKSAR Government noted that individual so-called human rights experts have entirely no respect for the HKSAR court's independent judgment of the case, which had been made on the basis of facts and evidence. They also refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for verdict, and refused to understand the court's considerations and the reasons for verdict. Instead, they wantonly launched attacks, slandered and attacked the HKSAR Government, with despicable political manipulations to demand the immediate release of Lai Chee-ying, overriding the rule of law with politics and confounding right and wrong. Their despicable intent to interfere with the court's sentencing has been seen through by all. The HKSAR Government has to refute resolutely to set the record straight."
Court's conviction verdict was entirely free from any political considerations
"The court's reasons for verdict in this case are 855 pages long, which are fully open for public inspection, and include the court's analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail. The court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's conviction verdict is well-founded and reasoned, fully demonstrating that the court has made its decision on the case strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely free of any political considerations."
The spokesperson stressed, "Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable. Article 5 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and section 2 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) clearly stipulate that the principle of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security. Any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law."
The Lai Chee-ying case has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press at all
The spokesman pointed out, "These so-called human rights experts have conflated the criminal acts in this case with freedom of speech and of the press, with the purpose of misleading the public and defaming the HKSAR. In fact, the Lai Chee-ying case has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants were using journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong.
"The public trial of this case revealed Lai Chee-ying's close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily. Lai Chee-ying had repeatedly and personally colluded with foreign forces, begging for sanctions and hostile actions against the Central Authorities and the HKSAR Government. The court clearly pointed out that Lai Chee-ying's only intent, whether pre or post HKNSL, was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, even though the ultimate cost was the sacrifice of the interests of the people of the People's Republic of China and the HKSAR.
"Anyone who vilify the rule of law and human rights situation in the HKSAR using this case is fact-twisting and has no integrity at all. We have to emphasise that the HKNSL and the SNSO clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of the press, of speech and of publication, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to the HKSAR, are protected in accordance with the law. However, like all other places in the world, journalists, like everyone else, have an obligation to abide by all the laws. According to the principles established by Article 19 of the ICCPR, the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant jurisprudence, when the media and journalists publish opinions, information and articles, they must observe and discharge 'special duties and responsibilities', including the protection of national security and public order; journalists must, in accordance with the tenets of 'responsible journalism', act in good faith on an accurate factual basis and provide reliable and precise information, so as to be entitled to the protection of freedom of speech and press freedom."
The spokesman reiterated, "The HKSAR Government will continue to resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the HKNSL, the SNSO and other relevant laws safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, to effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, whilst upholding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, so as to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the principle of 'one country, two systems'. The HKSAR Government urges the relevant so-called human rights experts to understand the facts clearly and stop making any unfounded criticisms."
Source: AI-found images
