On 22nd June 2008, I told a story to colleagues in the Princess Margaret Hospital Sunday Afternoon Symposium before introducing our eminent speaker, Dr. Thomas Tsang, Acting Controller of the Centre for Health Protection. He delivered a talk on ˇ§Recent Development of Infectious Diseases ˇV What Medical Practitioners should know?ˇ¨ on that day.
My story went like that. On 7th March 2003, when I returned from the States after visiting my eldest daughter for her preparation of graduation examination of the University, Hong Kong encountered the deadly infectious disease - SARS. I can still remember that I was the first person to warn citizens, including health care providers, about the extremely infectious nature of the deadly SARS by openly advising them to wear masks through Commercial Radio Hong Kong on 13th March 2003. I talked in the media on the outbreak of SARS in the community. However, I did not mention in the symposium that the previous chief of the Department of Health immediately on the next day cautioned me. She said I was already acting like their ˇ§honorary spokesmanˇ¨.
This year, when I returned from the States again after attending my second daughterˇ¦s commencement and the HKDU Alaska cruise, the Government of Hong Kong announced the Serious Response Level in her Preparedness Plan for Avian Influenza. As you all know, the Serious Response Level was activated due to confirmation of H5N1 in stool samplings of the chicken in markets located all over Hong Kong. Immediately I suggested colleagues to follow our Guidelines on Preparedness for Avian Flu Pandemic by wearing masks again this time through the media in Radio Television Hong Kong on 11th June 2008. I was luckily not cautioned by the Government this time. A great improvement as I see it. I do hope that the spread of H5N1 can be contained by killing all the chicken in the markets this time.
Dr. Tsang asked me in the symposium when would I go to attend my third daughter commencement overseas. My answer is I will not. The fact is that I have only two daughters. My youngest son is studying in Hong Kong. And I do wish that this would be the end of any Pandemic in Hong Kong.
Apart from the aforesaid advice to our colleagues, we have immediately contacted the Centre for Health Protection and the Hospital Authority on the logistics of updating our Guidelines on Avian Flu Pandemic, which was first published in December 2005. Their response is encouraging and I hope through such close collaboration, members can be rest assured that the updated Guidelines can be delivered to our members soon.
The 2008 Legislative Council election would be the third term after the return of Hong Kong to her motherland. From the turmoil of last year Hong Kong Island subsidiary Legislative Council election, people became more clever and politically minded in their choice of representatives. Then, is Hong Kong ready for direct election of both Legislative Councilors and the Chief Executive? The answer is definitely YES. The further question is: Would this be allowed by the administration of Mainland
As members of the medical profession, we are looking for a stable political environment so that we can take well care of our patients and relieve their sufferings. And apart from Political problems, we have a lot of problems in the medical sector in this area of the world deserving our utmost attention. I am trying to list some of them in the followings for members to comment and advise us on the way forward: -
As mentioned, these are just examples of problems facing us in the immediate future. Without the cooperation from the Government and concerned parties, we cannot solve these problems by our own selves. Do you think that these can be solved by drastic actions, like demonstrations in the street, alone? No, they cannot be solved by shouting with strong words of opposition in the media on whatever suggested solutions from the Government. Nor can they be solved by ignoring the initiated solutions from other stakeholders. Do you think we are better off nowadays than before? I would suggest you consider all these before you decide how to choose our next representative in the Medical Functional Constituency to sit in the Legislative Council.
Dr. Yeung Chiu Fat Henry