Press Releases
SHWF meets Swiss health officials (with photo)
The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, met with officials of
the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health in Bern, Switzerland, on April 19
(Swiss time) on the first day of his duty visit to Europe.
In separate meetings, Dr Chow held discussions and exchanged views with the
Office Director, Prof Thomas Zeltner, and the deputy head of Office's Health
Insurance Supervision Division, Mr Theodor Laubscher, on issues including the
regulation of health insurance products and premiums.
"The meetings have provided a good opportunity for us to learn more about the
Swiss health care system, which is largely financed through a mandatory health
insurance scheme. It is complex in nature and was developed in the course of
many years.
"At a time when Hong Kong is exploring its way forward for health care and
medical development, the practice and experience of Switzerland can serve as a
useful reference for us," Dr Chow said.
He said there was no one single system in the world that Hong Kong could copy in
its entirety, adding that Hong Kong would need to develop a system of its own to
cater for its community's unique environment.
Prof Zeltner and Dr Chow took the opportunity to share the avian influenza
preparedness plans of the two places. Prof Zeltner noted that the whole of
Europe was now under threat and that no one could afford to be complacent at
this time. He said Switzerland had a lot to learn from Hong Kong, particularly
in the light of Hong Kong's successful experience in fighting the avian
influenza outbreak in 1997. He commended Hong Kong for implementing various
measures to prevent human contact with poultry, which he believed would
effectively lower the risk of an outbreak of avian influenza.
Switzerland was the first stop of Dr Chow's visit to Europe. He will also meet
with the Secretariat of the Swiss Conference of the Cantonal Ministers of Public
Health and visit a hospital during his stay there.
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health is the national authority on health
matters, responsible for public health and the development of the national
health policy of Switzerland.
Ends/Thursday, April 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:55
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(Photo)