Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ9: Smallpox vaccine
Following is a question by the Hon Ng Leung-sing and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (February 19):
Question :
The Government of the United States of America announced in December last year that, as a safeguard against attacks by biochemical weapons, it would inoculate some of its servicemen and health care personnel against smallpox and planned to stockpile sufficient quantities of smallpox vaccine for inoculating its entire population. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it plans to conduct publicity campaigns to enhance people's awareness of the smallpox disease and to encourage them to have smallpox inoculation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) of the cost required for inoculating the entire population of Hong Kong against smallpox; and
(c) whether it has assessed the possibility of an epidemic of smallpox in Hong Kong and assessed if the local medical institutions are capable of controlling the epidemic; if so, of the assessment results?
Reply :
Smallpox has been eradicated from the globe since 1980. At present no place in the world requires smallpox inoculation, except in some countries where front-line officers are inoculated against smallpox for security reasons.
(a) In view of the assessment in (c) below, we do not intend to conduct publicity campaigns on smallpox or encourage members of the public to have smallpox inoculation.
(b) Market information shows that each dose of smallpox vaccine would cost between US$3 to US$9. We estimate that the cost for inoculating the entire population in Hong Kong would amount to between HK$159.12 million and HK$477.36 million. However, in view of the possible adverse side-effects of vaccination, the World Health Organization considers that vaccination is not warranted if there is no or little real risk of exposure. In the event of an outbreak, small but rapid and thorough containment actions can break the transmission chain and halt the outbreak within a relatively short time. The health authorities of the United Kingdom and the USA have also formulated "the ring vaccination strategy", which includes targeted vaccination and monitoring of contacts, together with isolation of cases.
(c) Hong Kong has been one of the safest cities in the world. Its socio-political environment has never featured any connection with terrorism. There is also no known terrorist infrastructure or support base in Hong Kong. The Government's assessment is that the risk of Hong Kong becoming a target of terrorist attacks with the use of biological or other weapons is low.
The Government has set up an interdepartmental working group led by the Police Force and comprising relevant departments and organisations including Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority. It has devised a contingency plan to cope with situations which involve biological weapons including smallpox virus. Hong Kong has sufficient capacity in terms of facilities, equipment, medical supplies and personnel to deal with the contingencies arising from an attack by smallpox virus. Diseases caused by biological agents like bacteria and virus are the same as similar diseases contracted through natural transmission. Local medical personnel have adequate training to manage these diseases.
In minimising the risk of any smallpox outbreak, surveillance and vigilance of the disease are of paramount importance. To monitor the situation of infectious diseases, DH has in place an effective disease surveillance system consisting of hospitals, government out-patient clinics and private doctors. DH has also sent letters to all doctors (including private doctors) in Hong Kong to alert them of diseases which may be caused by biological terrorist attack, and remind them to report any unusual cases to DH for follow-up actions. In addition, DH has maintained a sound network with the World Health Organization and other overseas public health authorities and will seek their assistance when necessary.
End/Wednesday, February 19, 2003
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