CE Engages with Sham Shui Po Residents on Healthcare and Elderly Services During District Visit

CE visits Sham Shui Po District to gather public views on Policy Address

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26). He toured a public housing estate and an elderly centre to listen to the views of members of the public on the 2026 Policy Address. He also visited the 1823 Contact Centre in Sham Shui Po District.

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Director of Home Affairs, Ms Priscilla To; and the Director of Social Welfare, Mr Edward To, also joined relevant parts of the visit.

Accompanied by the District Officer (Sham Shui Po), Mr Oscar Wong, Mr Lee visited Un Chau Estate, where he met with an elderly resident to learn about her use of services from ambulatory care centres. Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been actively promoting ambulatory care services, under which suitable patients may undergo examinations and treatment with multidisciplinary support within the same day, without the need for an overnight hospital stay, before returning home to rest. Ambulatory care services help reduce unnecessary hospitalisation and provide patients with more convenient treatment and services. This could enhance the service capacity and efficiency of the public healthcare system, so that more members of the public may receive appropriate services at an early stage.

Mr Lee had earlier visited Kwong Wah Hospital to learn about the operation of its Ambulatory Orthopaedic Service Centre and the hospital's application of innovative technologies. He said that the HKSAR Government is committed to deepening healthcare reform and enhancing the quality and efficiency of public healthcare services, including the application of AI technologies in hospitals to enhance the accuracy and speed of clinical diagnoses, so that patients may receive appropriate treatment sooner. He said that the Government will continue to promote the digital upgrading of the healthcare system and actively introduce innovative technologies to further enhance the standard of public healthcare services.

Mr Lee then visited the Un Chau Estate Baptist Church Elderly Centre to learn about the various types of activities and services provided by the centre to enrich the lives of its elderly users. He said that the Government has long upheld the principle of ageing in place as the core, and has continued to strengthen support for elderly persons, including increasing the total number of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly and adding three Neighbourhood Elderly Centres in last year's Policy Address to strengthen district support for the elderly.

Mr Lee then visited the 1823 Contact Centre to learn how the centre applies AI technologies to expedite the handling of public enquiries, requests for assistance and complaints. He said that 1823 has been actively applying various AI technologies in receiving and analysing public enquiries, assigning cases, analysing data and so on, so as to respond more quickly to requests for assistance and complaints from members of the public. He has asked the Digital Policy Office to continue leading 1823 in actively applying AI and other innovative technologies to continuously enhance efficiency.

Mr Lee said that the current-term Government is committed to turning policy blueprints into tangible outcomes in developing the economy and improving people's livelihood. Through district visits and meaningful exchanges with members of the public, the Government can better understand their needs and aspirations, and the insights gained will help formulate new policy initiatives. He said that he and his team will continue to listen to views from various sectors of society, so that policy measures could better address livelihood needs and the Government could dedicate its efforts in striving for a vibrant economy, pursuing development and improving people's livelihood.

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee (second left), earlier visited Kwong Wah Hospital to hear an introduction by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Libby Lee (right), on the hospital's application of innovative technologies. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee (second right), earlier visited Kwong Wah Hospital to learn about the operation of its Ambulatory Orthopaedic Service Centre and to interact with a patient. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (front row, left), visiting the 1823 Contact Centre to learn how the centre applies AI technologies to expedite the handling of public enquiries, requests for assistance and complaints. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (centre), accompanied by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (first left), visiting the 1823 Contact Centre to learn how the centre applies AI technologies to expedite the handling of public enquiries, requests for assistance and complaints. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (third right) interacting with a member of the public at Un Chau Estate. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (second right) interacting with a member of the public at Un Chau Estate.Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (front row, sixth right), accompanied by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (front row, third right), visiting an elderly centre and interacting with the centre users. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (fourth right), accompanied by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (fourth left), visiting an elderly centre and interacting with the centre users. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (centre), accompanied by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (first right), visiting an elderly centre and interacting with the centre users. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (first left) interacting with a member of the public at Un Chau Estate. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (third right), accompanied by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (second left), and the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (second right), visiting an elderly resident in Un Chau Estate to learn about her use of services from ambulatory care centres. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, visited Sham Shui Po District today (August 26) to gather public views on Policy Address. Photo shows Mr Lee (centre), accompanied by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (second left), and the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (first left), visiting an elderly resident in Un Chau Estate to learn about her use of services from ambulatory care centres. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 26) released the fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in August, covering 18 survey areas, as follows:

District	Survey Area	August 2026
		First Phase Gravidtrap Index	First Phase Density Index
Central and Western	Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui	5.5%	1.0
Eastern	North Point and Quarry Bay	5.0%	1.3
Sham Shui Po	Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei	6.8%	1.0
Yau Tsim	Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei	0.0%	N/A
North	Sheung Shui	6.5%	1.0
Sai Kung	Tseung Kwan O North	9.1%	1.0
Sha Tin	Ma On Shan	8.3%	1.0
Kwai Tsing	Kwai Chung East	2.3%	1.0
Tsuen Wan	Tsuen Wan Town	5.2%	1.0
Tuen Mun	Tuen Mun South	5.5%	1.3

District	Survey Area	August 2026
		Area Gravidtrap Index	Area Density Index
Central and Western	Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun	19.5%	1.4
Southern	Pok Fu Lam	7.0%	1.1
Islands	Cheung Chau	1.8%	1.0
Sham Shui Po	Cheung Sha Wan	9.3%	1.9
Wong Tai Sin	Ngau Chi Wan and San Po Kong	6.4%	1.4
North	Fanling South	5.8%	1.2
Kwai Tsing	Kwai Chung West	7.8%	1.0
Yuen Long	Yuen Long Town	13.6%	1.3

During the rainy season, the FEHD continues to carry out a series of mosquito prevention and elimination measures, including:

• interdepartmental collaboration: convening special meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders (such as construction site contractors, schools and property management companies) in strengthening mosquito control work at venues;
• precise risk assessments: carrying out intensive and targeted mosquito control work at locations with more serious mosquito infestations, including stepping up inspections, eliminating mosquito breeding and potential breeding grounds, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at appropriate locations;
• promotion and education: organising exhibitions with relevant departments and stakeholders, and distributing leaflets and posters to enhance public awareness of mosquito control and prevention; and
• rapid alert mechanism: notifying residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, and advising property management companies and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures.

During the follow-up actions and following the discovery of stagnant water at a construction site and a private housing estate in Central and Western District and Yuen Long District, the FEHD has issued a total of two statutory notices to the responsible persons-in-charge, requiring the clearance of such stagnant water within a specified timeframe.

Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:

• tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
• remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
• check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
• change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
• properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
• properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
• scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reduing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).

FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in August Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases