Press Releases
Transcript of media session by SHWF on public mortuaries
Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session by the
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, at the Legislative Council
Building this (July 6) afternoon:
Reporter: (on facilities in Kwai Chung Mortuary)
Dr Chow: We had a discussion yesterday, taking stock of the mortuary services
and facilities in Hong Kong. This morning we had an emergency meeting to look at
what we can do in the short-term. I was assured by the Director of Health that
we will mobilise and use some of the new storage facilities in the Kwai Chung
Mortuary which is commissioned to be opened in September. We can actually use
the storage facilities first, so we will be moving some of the bodies there if
there is overcrowding in some of the mortuaries.
Reporter: (on treatment of the bodies)
Dr Chow: As I said yesterday, if the space is not enough, sometimes we have to
put bodies on the floor. But even we need put bodies on the floor, we still have
to treat them with dignity and respect; and respect the feelings of the
families. I think as long as we can help it, we want that every body would have
a proper space for storage.
Reporter: (on preferential treatment)
Dr Chow: The only special treatment that I know of in the mortuary is that there
are special storage spaces for bodies that were discovered and needed for
forensic examinations. It is not because of the background of the individual. I
think what is being told is actually incorrect. If any body knows of such an
incident, I hope they will come forward and tell us so that we can investigate
the case.
Reporter: (on long-term issues)
Dr Chow: I'm sure this incident will help us to address some of the long-term
problems, particularly some of the staff's working attitude towards the dead. I
understand that they work day-to-day with dead bodies, they might not have the
feeling that most of us would have towards the dead and their families.
Reporter: (on the pictures)
Dr Chow: First of all, I didn't say that all the pictures are doctored. I only
said that one picture is out of ordinary that shows the limbs of the body
totally exposed. I asked my colleagues working in the mortuary and also
pathologists whether that is the normal procedure of handling bodies. The answer
that I received was "no". I think it is important to ensure that all the
procedures will be followed so that we can give the dead the respect and also
respect the feelings of the families of the dead. It is very important that for
those who work in the mortuary, who might have been handling the work with very
little feeling for most of the time, should also have feeling for the others.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Wednesday, July 6, 2005
Issued at HKT 19:26
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