Press Releases

SHWF meets New Zealand MPs (with photos)

The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, today (September 14) spent his third day of his New Zealand visit studying the country's health care system and exchanging views with health officials on health-related issues.

Meeting two members of the Parliament �VOpposition Spokesman on Health, Mr Tony Ryall, and Chairperson, Parliament Select Committee on Health, Ms Sue Kedgeley, Dr Chow talked about the Hong Kong's system as compared with most systems in other countries. He said with the expectancy of a big proportion of the population getting old in 30 years' time and the ever-rising cost in medical technology, there was a need for Hong Kong to look at the option of a health care reform programme.

A two-hour session with the Ministry of Health provided Dr Chow with a good understanding of the New Zealand health care system. He said the reformed primary health care system of New Zealand and its priority categorisation scheme to cut down on the waiting list of patients provided a useful reference for Hong Kong.

The meeting also shared views on the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness plan to see how the respective plans of both places could complement and supplement one another.

Dr Chow took the opportunity of his meetings with the New Zealand Government to lobby support for Dr Margaret Chan's candidacy for the post of Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Dr Chow will attend the 57th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Auckland on September 18.



Ends/Thursday, September 14, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:03

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