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The Port Health Office of the Department of Health enforces measures
in the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance and the International
Health Regulations to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases
into Hong Kong by air, land or sea. No cases of plague or yellow fever
were reported during the year.
Responding to the SARS outbreak, the Port Health Office
has strengthened the control and preventive measures at entry control
points since March 2003. Travellers, both entering and leaving Hong Kong,
are required to declare their health status and have their body temperature
screened. During the year, over 68 million and 74 million travellers were
screened by health declarations and body temperature checking, respectively.
The Radiation Health Unit of the Department of Health is the Government's
adviser on radiation safety and protection. It advises the Government
on the protection of public health in the event of a nuclear incident,
on the management of radioactive materials and wastes, and the effects
on health of radiation exposure. The unit also serves as the executive
arm of the Radiation Board, which is the statutory authority set up under
the Radiation Ordinance, to control the import, export, sale, possession
and use of radioactive substances and irradiating apparatus. It safeguards
public health against ionising radiation through licensing control and
inspection of premises where radioactive substances or irradiating apparatuses
are present. In addition, the unit conducts radiation monitoring measurements
for occupationally exposed persons and maintains the radiation dosimetry
metrology standards for environmental and protection level radiation dosimetry
measurements for Hong Kong.
In 2003, the unit assessed and issued 8 375 licences
and permits and provided monitoring service to 8 353 occupationally exposed
persons. The average radiation exposure of occupationally exposed persons
was 0.07 mSv against an annual statutory limit of 20.
The Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong, established in September 1999,
is responsible for devising and implementing regulatory measures for Chinese
medicine.
Subsidiary legislation for the registration of Chinese
medicine practitioners was enacted in June 2000. In 2003, the Chinese
Medicine Council of Hong Kong conducted the Registration Assessment and
the first Licensing Examination. By year-end, 4 738 and 3 227 Chinese
medicine practitioners were registered and listed, respectively, with
the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong.
The subsidiary legislation on Chinese medicines was
passed by the Legislative Council in January 2003. Applications for Chinese
medicine trader licences and for registration of proprietary Chinese medicines
have been open since May and December 2003, respectively.
The regulation of Western medicines in Hong Kong is stipulated under
the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance. Acting on the authority of the Pharmacy
and Poisons Board, the Department of Health registers and approves the
marketing of pharmaceutical products, issues licences to drug manufacturers,
importers, wholesalers and retailers, and takes action against illegal
sale of controlled drugs in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force.
Legislative controls are also enforced on poisons, antibiotics and dangerous
drugs.
During the year, 3 906 applications for registration
of pharmaceutical products were approved. At year-end, there were 20 415
pharmaceutical products registered in Hong Kong.
Under existing legislation, 12 types of health care professionals are
required to be registered with their respective boards or councils before
they are allowed to practice in Hong Kong. In December, the professionals
registered with their respective boards and councils numbered: 11 016
doctors, 1 848 dentists, 4 738 Chinese medicine practitioners, 43 782
nurses (including registered and enrolled nurses), 4 791 midwives, 1 457
pharmacists, 67 chiropractors, 1 758 physiotherapists, 1 073 occupational
therapists, 2 519 medical laboratory technologists, 1 921 optometrists
and 1 551 radiographers. |
