Hospitals Celebrate Chinese New Year with Festive Activities for Patients

Hospital Authority healthcare staff celebrate Chinese New Year with patients

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

As the Chinese New Year approaches, healthcare staff and volunteers of Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH), Caritas Medical Centre (CMC), and North District Hospital (NDH) have thoughtfully arranged a series of festive activities to welcome the Spring Festival, allowing patients to experience the vivid festive atmosphere.

HKCH held a lively music show in the lobby to celebrate the Chinese New Year with patients and families. The audience was treated to festive melodies presented by the hospital's staff music group and the Hospital Authority Chinese Orchestra, while a volunteer group also presented a handbell performance. Patients also had fun writing couplets and receiving gifts.

The volunteer team from CMC's Health Resource Centre recently created special New Year decorations featuring horse designs for patients. They visited inpatient wards with these decorations and delivered greeting cards filled with festive wishes, allowing patients to experience the joyous atmosphere of the Year of the Horse.

Volunteers at NDH carefully designed and decorated festive red gift carts. Together with the hospital management team, they went around the wards to deliver small gifts and blessings to patients. Hospitalised patients took this opportunity to exchange greetings and share the joy of the festival.

The Hospital Authority hopes patients' wishes come true in the new year and wishes them a speedy recovery and good health.

The North District Hospital management team and volunteers bring a vibrant gift cart through the wards to share their care and festive blessings with patients. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Gathering in the wards, the North District Hospital management team and volunteers shared New Year blessings, filling the wards with a festive vibe. This allowed patients to experience warmth and care during the festival season although staying in hospital. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Volunteers from the Health Resource Centre of Caritas Medical Centre recently visited patients in medical and geriatric rehabilitation wards, distributing Lunar New Year decorations and greeting cards to convey festive blessings and warm wishes. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

To bring the joy of the Year of the Horse into the wards, the Health Resource Centre of Caritas Medical Centre prepared Lunar New Year decorations featuring adorable horse designs for patients. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

A patient joyfully designs Lunar New Year decorations at Hong Kong Children's Hospital. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The staff music group of Hong Kong Children's Hospital and a young patient present an inspiring song in the Lunar New Year music show, earning applause from the audience. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.

In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases