Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ16: Rodent prevention and control

Following is a question by the Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (April 29):

Question:

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced on April 3 this year that the full-year Rodent Infestation Rate (RIR) of 2008 was 6.3%, which is a record high in recent years. Among the 19 environmental hygiene districts, rodent infestation in districts such as Sham Shui Po, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po and North District in the second half of 2008 was more serious than that in the first half of the year, with RIRs for some districts exceeding 10%. Given that the full-year RIR of the period was still the highest in recent years even though FEHD had carried out publicity and anti-rodent operations in 2008, it is doubtful if the anti-rodent measures are effective. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) what existing and new specific measures the authorities had taken last year to alleviate rodent infestation in urban areas;

(b) of the mechanism adopted by FEHD for assessing if the existing anti-rodent measures are effective;

(c) whether it has found out the causes for the sharp rise in RIRs for the second half of 2008 in some districts and the substantial drop in RIRs in some districts, as compared with those in the first half of the year; whether the anti-rodent work currently undertaken by FEHD in various districts is of the same frequencies and methods;

(d) given that it is not until about three months after the end of every half-year period that FEHD announces RIRs for that half year, and such outdated figures cannot assist FEHD in taking anti-rodent measures according to the actual rodent infestation situation, whether the authorities will consider switching to making quarterly or monthly RIR announcements, as well as making such announcements within one month after the end of the periods concerned; and

(e) whether the authorities had conducted exchanges with the Mainland or overseas anti-rodent experts in the past five years, and made reference to the anti-rodent methods introduced by them; if they had, of the details; if not, whether they will consider conducting regular exchanges with such anti-rodent experts?

Reply:

President,

The general situation of rodent infestation in Hong Kong has all along been under effective control. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has ample expertise, experience and sufficient resources to monitor and control rodent infestation. The rodent prevention and control measures adopted by the FEHD follow those advocated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and are in line with those used in major Mainland and overseas cities.

When conducting rodent prevention and control work, the FEHD makes appropriate adjustments for each individual district in light of the department's frontline officers' reports, the views of the District Councils and the local community, as well as the rodent infestation rate (RIR) recorded in the district concerned. The RIR is not the only consideration. Indeed, rodents are very adaptive and have a high reproductive rate. Anti-rodent efforts must not be slackened and active participation and co-operation of the pubic are crucial to the success of these efforts.

Five parts of the question are now replied to as follows:

(a) In the past year, apart from routine rodent prevention and control measures, the FEHD also implemented the following new initiatives to step up anti-rodent efforts in districts:

(1) Since mid-2008, the duration of each of the two phases of the Anti-Rodent Campaign launched each year has been extended to a minimum of nine weeks as circumstances require. Moreover, more targeted spots (such as markets, hawker bazaars, fixed pitch hawker stalls, food premises) have been included. These measures will help step up public education and publicity and strengthen the overall effectiveness of our rodent prevention and control in the territory;

(2) Operating hours of the live rodent collection service have been extended to 24 hours a day throughout the year since June 1 last year;

(3) Territory-wide publicity and public education activities have been stepped up, and anti-rodent messages have been disseminated to residents in various districts through posters, leaflets and talks on rodent control;

(4) Relevant departments have been immediately informed of the RIR recorded in various districts for timely adjustment to their rodent prevention and control measures, and for control of rodent infestation in good time;

(5) One additional health inspector has been deployed to each district since April 1 this year to oversee and coordinate the rodent prevention and disinfestation work carried out by the FEHD and other government departments and local organisations, including the Home Affairs Department, the Lands Department, the District Council concerned, Area Committees and Owners' Committees. District health inspectors will also assist in taking forward pest control campaigns and public education and publicity activities etc. at the district level. Meanwhile, the FEHD has also deployed additional inspection staff to further strengthen front-line supervision and enhance service standard; and

(6) As committed in the Summit on District Administration held in 2008, the FEHD will continue to liaise with the District Councils to further enhance the effectiveness of local rodent prevention and control work.

(b) In line with the WHO's recommendations, the FEHD adopts an integrated rodent control approach consisting of improving environmental conditions, applying poisonous baits and setting traps. Rodent control materials and methodologies used are subject to review from time to time having regard to the latest development and research results in the Mainland and overseas countries.

(c) The general situation of rodent infestation in Hong Kong has all along been under effective control. While the same approach and standards in rodent control and survey are adopted in all districts, the FEHD conducts rodent control work flexibly with regard to the circumstances in different districts. The RIR recorded in some districts during the second half of the year was higher than that of the first half was mainly attributed to the less than satisfactory hygiene conditions at certain places and rear lanes in the districts concerned. When a higher RIR had been recorded in a certain district, the FEHD immediately stepped up its rodent disinfestation and cleansing work, and reminded the residents, shop owners and parties concerned again of the importance of the anti-rodent measures. The RIRs in the districts concerned dropped significantly in the subsequent RIR survey.

(d) The FEHD conducts an RIR survey in each district in the first and second half of each year. Once the RIRs of the districts are available, the FEHD will inform the departments concerned and make public the RIRs so that timely adjustment can be made to the rodent prevention and control measures and rodent infestation in the districts may be controlled in good time. Since 2008, the FEHD has increased the frequency of RIR announcement from once a year to once every six months. We consider the current arrangement of conducting such surveys and publicising RIRs on a half-yearly basis cost-effective and practicable.

(e) Each year, the FEHD conducts technical exchanges on anti-rodent work with the Mainland's Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureaux in Guangdong, Shenzhen and Zhuhai as well as the Guangdong Provincial Health Department. Besides, the FEHD has also on a number of occasions had exchanges with experts, government officials and the rodent control trade from the United States, United Kingdom, Hungary and Singapore on the latest development of anti-rodent control through site visits, seminars and international conferences.


Ends/Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:01

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