HONG KONG 2004

The Port Health Office of the Department of Health enforces measures stipulated by the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance and the International Health Regulations to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases and other serious infectious diseases into Hong Kong by air, land or sea. No case of plague or yellow fever has been reported during the year.

Responding to the sporadic SARS outbreaks elsewhere, the Port Health Office maintained the control and preventive measures at immigration control points in 2004. Travellers, both entering and leaving Hong Kong, were required to declare their health status and have their body temperature screened. The measures were scaled down to temperature screening of arrivals in July as the global situation eased. Nevertheless, vigilance for resurgence of SARS and emergence of human avian influenza cases were heightened. During 2004, over 52 million travellers declared their health status and over 113 million travellers were screened for body temperature checking in order to prevent and control the international spread of SARS.

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 health effects of radiation fields and protection of public health in areas such as nuclear incidents and management of radioactive materials and wastes. It 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, 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. It also conducts radiation monitoring measurements for occupationally exposed persons, maintains the radiation dosimetry metrology standards for environmental level and occupational protection level radiation dosimetry measurements of Hong Kong, and provides the related standard calibration services.

In 2004, the unit assessed and issued 9 111 licences and permits and provided radiation monitoring service to 8 280 occupationally exposed persons. The average radiation exposure of the occupationally exposed persons was 0.08 mSv against an annual statutory limit of 20 mSv.

The Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong 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. The Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong conducted the Part I and Part II 2004 Chinese Medicine Practitioners Licensing Examination in August and from September to October respectively. By year-end, 4 986 and 3 013 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. As at end of 2004, 7 724 and 16 074 applications were received 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, 3 903 applications for registration of pharmaceutical products were approved. At year-end, there were 20 084 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 practise in Hong Kong. In December, the professionals registered with their respective boards and councils numbered: 11 242 doctors, 1 896 dentists, 4 986 Chinese medicine practitioners, 44 402 nurses (including registered and enrolled nurses), 4 866 midwives, 1 517 pharmacists, 74 chiropractors, 1 858 physiotherapists, 1 130 occupational therapists, 2 534 medical laboratory technologists, 1 922 optometrists and 1 568 radiographers.