Local and overseas health agencies sign MOU

On May 7, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, Dr PY Leung, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Head of the Health Protection Agency of England and Wales (HPA), Professor Pat Troop, for stronger linkages between the two agencies to protect public health. The MOU is the first agreement between CHP and overseas health authorities on the launching of collaborative initiatives on training, attachment programs, contingency planning, research and development as well as other health protection projects.





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Local and overseas health agencies sign MOU

May 7, 2004



The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, Dr PY Leung, today (May 7) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Head of the Health Protection Agency of England and Wales (HPA), Professor Pat Troop, for stronger linkages between the two agencies to protect public health.

The MOU is the first agreement between CHP and overseas health authorities on the launching of collaborative initiatives on training, attachment programs, contingency planning, research and development as well as other health protection projects.

Officiating at the signing ceremony, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said the ceremony was an epoch-making event in the public health history of Hong Kong.

Noting that the SARS epidemic last spring had underlined the need to strengthen inter-agency collaboration in the local public health system, Dr Yeoh said the institutional arrangements for the CHP were designed on the basis of a collaborative approach to health protection.

"On the international front, the CHP will build on the network that the Department of Health has developed with international and overseas health agencies over the years.

"It will seek to reach MOUs with overseas health agencies where there is a mutual commitment to develop more substantive collaborative arrangements," Dr Yeoh said.

In the domestic setting, the CHP will thrive on a multi-skilled workforce with talents drawn from a range of departments and agencies within and outside the administration.

"Health protection programmes bringing together experts from different sectors and professions will be set up to tackle identified health hazards to our community," Dr Yeoh added.

"Communicable Disease Information System (CDIS) is our next milestone. We shall seek funds to build a common information technology platform to facilitate information sharing on communicable disease surveillance between the CHP, the Hospital Authority and eventually with private hospitals and practitioners and non-healthcare institutions."

Dr Yeoh stressed that the execution of the MOU marked the beginning of an equally important process of implementation.

"The unabated support from all sectors of the community will ensure the CHP and the HPA of England and Wales go from strength to strength in fostering closer partnerships in the interest of public health," he added.

Echoing Dr Yeoh's remarks, Professor Troop said the MOU would provide the firm foundation from which both parties could build a fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship, based on co-operation and the sharing of knowledge and information.

She said that the increase in the speed and frequency of international travel meant that an infection which once would have taken months to travel between continents, could now be transmitted in a matter of hours.

"Global threats demand a global response and it is essential that we forge close working relationships with our international partners, and ensure that we share the benefits of our learning and knowledge.

"Although physically separated by thousands of miles, our strength will lie in our desire to protect the health of our respective populations to the best of our ability, and to ensure that our research, learning and experience of the delivery of health protection are shared to the benefit of all.

"The strength of both our organisations will be enhanced by our collaboration on training, participation in exercise and the interaction of our microbiology, surveillance and response networks- and indeed many of the areas in which we operate," Professor Troop said.

The Director of Health, Dr PY Lam, who also officiated at the signing ceremony, said there would be increased interaction between CHP and HPA in disease surveillance, emergency response, epidemiological investigation, hospital infection control and the use of information technology for the enhancement of disease control.

Dr Lam said that arrangements would also be made for both parties to participate in developing Laboratory External Quality Assurance and Internal Quality Control System.

"There will also be staff secondment for training and cross fertilisation of experience," he noted.

Dr Lam pointed out that apart from collaborating with England and Wales, CHP was also liaising with the Ministry of Health of Singapore on similar activities.

"CHP has also established a communication network with other national health authorities including Centres for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States and Health Canada on the exchanges of public health intelligence.

"We will continue to explore collaboration opportunities with other overseas public health authorities," he pledged.