Secretary for Health Visits Hong Kong Children's Hospital to Review Tertiary Healthcare Services and Future Development Plans

Secretary for Health visits Hong Kong Children's Hospital

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, visited the Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH) today (July 3) to learn about the operations and the latest developments of the hospital's provision of tertiary healthcare services as a Centre of Excellence in Paediatrics.

Accompanied by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Libby Lee; the Director (Quality and Safety) of the HA, Dr Michael Wong; the Cluster Chief Executive of Kowloon Central of the HA, Dr Eric Cheung; and the Hospital Chief Executive of the HKCH, Dr Lee Tsz-leung, Professor Lo visited facilities and relevant services including the specialist outpatient clinic (SOPC), the Department of Radiology, operating theatres, and specialist wards.

Professor Lo said, "The HKCH brings together expert teams in various paediatric specialties, advanced medical equipments, and a treatment environment tailored to the unique needs of paediatric patients. Since its commencement of services by phases from late 2018, the HKCH has collaborated with regional hospitals to establish a paediatric service network to provide highly complex tertiary healthcare services that require advanced technology and multidisciplinary expertise, offering advanced treatment for children suffering from severe, complex or uncommon diseases. The HKCH has been continuously expanding paediatric services since its opening. I look forward to the hospital not only continuing to strengthen care for paediatric patients with severe and rare diseases, but also expanding its existing service arrangements to cater for a wider range of paediatric patients and taking up the responsibilities of integrating paediatric services across the HA and training in the future."

During the visit, Professor Lo gained a further understanding of the hospital's specialist outpatient services, which cover over 100 consultation categories across paediatric subspecialties, surgery, and clinical genetics. Dedicated multidisciplinary clinics have been established for patients with complex rare diseases to formulate more co-ordinated and personalised treatment plans. The SOPC also provides one-stop services, arranging follow-up consultations, examinations, and rehabilitation across specialties for patients on the same day where possible.

Professor Lo was also briefed on the hospital's unique services, including paediatric haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, heart transplantation, and kidney transplantation, as well as the only paediatric oncology centre and paediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centre in Hong Kong. In recent years, the hospital has introduced and developed numerous advanced medical services, including performing a heart transplant for a 4-month-old baby girl in 2022; administering Hong Kong's first gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy for a 10-month-old baby boy in 2023; operating the Hong Kong Breast Milk Bank to provide high-quality and safe donor breast milk to neonatal intensive care units across the territory; and offering a newborn screening programme which covers more than 30 diseases, enabling more newborns to benefit from early detection of serious genetic or rare diseases.

Professor Lo emphasised, "When formulating its future development plans, the HKCH should continue to align with the policy direction as set out in the Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address to fully integrate paediatric services across HA clusters, while continuing to expand services, strengthen training for paediatric healthcare talent and promote research and development, thereby supporting the Government's policy direction on developing paediatric services, with a view to enabling the HKCH to fully realise its role as a Centre of Excellence in Paediatrics."

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (second right), visits the Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH) today (July 3), and chats with healthcare personnel at an operating theatre. Looking on are the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (second left), and the Hospital Chief Executive of the HKCH, Dr Lee Tsz-leung (third left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (centre), accompanied by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (right), visits the Oncology ward of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital today (July 3). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (second right), visits the Hong Kong Children's Hospital today (July 3), and chats with healthcare personnel of the Department of Radiology. Looking on is the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (first right). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (centre), visits the Hong Kong Children's Hospital today (July 3), and is briefed by a healthcare personnel on a 3D model illustrating congenital heart disease. Looking on is the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (first left), visits the Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH) today (July 3), and is briefed on the imaging of paediatric cases by a healthcare personnel of the Department of Radiology. Looking on are the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Libby Lee (second left); the Cluster Chief Executive of Kowloon Central of the HA, Dr Eric Cheung (fourth left); and the Hospital Chief Executive of the HKCH, Dr Lee Tsz-leung (third left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (fourth left), visits the Hong Kong Children's Hospital (HKCH) today (July 3), and discusses imaging of paediatric cases with healthcare personnel of the Department of Radiology. Looking on are the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Libby Lee (third left); the Director (Quality and Safety) of the HA, Dr Michael Wong (fourth right); the Cluster Chief Executive of Kowloon Central of the HA, Dr Eric Cheung (second left); and the Hospital Chief Executive of the HKCH, Dr Lee Tsz-leung (first left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (second left), accompanied by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (fourth left), and the Hospital Chief Executive of the Hong King Children's Hospital (HKCH), Dr Lee Tsz-leung (first left), visits the specialist outpatient clinic of the HKCH today (July 3). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) held the launching ceremony for the new unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, today (July 4) at Central Market. Starting today, the public can purchase a variety of products bearing the Hong Kong Harvest certification logo.

At the launching ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said that promoting the sustainable development of local agriculture and fisheries enables better integration into and service of the overall national development. The launch of Hong Kong Harvest is one of the key initiatives under Hong Kong's Blueprint for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Fisheries, which enhances the credibility and competitiveness of local produce, thereby helping farmers and fishermen increase their income while offering the public a wider range of high-quality and low-carbon local food options.

Hong Kong Harvest emphasises high-quality, safety and low-carbon. Only local agricultural and fisheries products that meet the production requirements of the AFCD and are certified by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency are eligible to use this brand. Currently, 135 local crop farms and aquaculture farms are qualified, with the number expected to rise to over 500 by the end of the year. By then, the number of retail and catering merchants, including major supermarkets, restaurant chains and hotels that have signed the Companion Charter will increase from the current 40 or more to approximately 70. The number of locations offering Hong Kong Harvest products will also rise to as many as 500. Apart from visiting physical stores, the public can also purchase these products via the "Local Fresh" online platform (www.localfreshhk.com).

Hong Kong Harvest features a traceability system aimed at strengthening consumer confidence in food safety and the transparency of product origins. At the launching ceremony, the brand ambassador, Michelle Wai, demonstrated of using a mobile phone to scan the unique traceability label on certified products, allowing instant access to information, including the product's origin (such as the name of the farm or aquaculture facility), production date and food safety test results.

The brand mascots, Foodie Dragon and Foodie Boy, which were designed by a student from the Hong Kong Design Institute, also made their debut at the launching ceremony, interacting and taking photos with the public. The event featured a tasting and sales area for Hong Kong Harvest products, a game zone, a display area and an interactive photo-taking zone, allowing the public to deepen their understanding of Hong Kong Harvest.

Ocean Park Hong Kong will soon organise a series of promotional activities for Hong Kong Harvest, including school promotions, public guided tours of fish farms and agricultural farms and a major annual brand promotion festival. The public are welcome to join. The AFCD will also further promote Hong Kong Harvest in the Greater Bay Area and other cities across the Chinese Mainland, helping to expand the market for Hong Kong's agricultural and fisheries products.

For more information on Hong Kong Harvest and promotion events, please visit Hong Kong Harvest's dedicated website (hongkongharvest.hk) or the Hong Kong Harvest Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hongkongharvestofficial).

Source: AI-found images

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

New unified brand for local agricultural and fisheries products, Hong Kong Harvest, launched officially Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Source: AI-found images