Press Releases
SHWF to study health care systems in Switzerland, France and United Kingdom
The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, will visit
Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom between tomorrow (April 19) and April
24 to study their health care systems.
At the first stop of his visit to Bern, Switzerland, tomorrow, Dr Chow will call
on the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. He will hold discussions with
officials of Health Insurance Supervision Division of the Federal Office of
Public Health on the regulation of health insurance products and premiums.
On Thursday (April 20), Dr Chow will visit the Secretariat of the Swiss
Conference of the Cantonal Ministers of Public Health to learn more about the
implementation of health insurance and health care financing. He will take the
opportunity to meet one of the larger mandatory health care insurers and visit
the world-renowned University Hospital which is also a teaching hospital and a
centre for research and training.
During his stay in Paris, France on Friday (April 21), Dr Chow will meet
officials of the French National Health Insurance Fund For Salaried Workers
where he will be briefed on the country's health care insurance fund and its
reform, as well as the health care financing system.
In the afternoon, Dr Chow will visit the Georges Pompidou European Hospital, one
of the top hospitals in Europe. He will tour the Institut Pasteur which is
dedicated to the prevention and treatment of disease, and the combating of
primarily infectious diseases through research, education, and public health
activities.
At his last stop in London on April 24, Dr Chow will visit the Food Standards
Agency which is an independent Government department to protect the public's
health and consumer interests in relation to food. He will address a lunch
hosted by the Hong Kong Association for business leaders in the United Kingdom
and update them on Hong Kong's situation, in particular, in the health area.
Before he leaves London, Dr Chow will meet the Minister of State for Health
Services, Ms Rosie Winterton, to discuss health issues of mutual concern.
Dr Chow will return to Hong Kong on April 25.
Ends/Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:16
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