A panel of international experts arrived in Hong Kong Sunday to embark on a comprehensive review of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreaks in Hong Kong from the public health perspective.
This followed a three-day meeting last week of another panel of experts of the SARS Expert Committee -- the Hospital Management and Administration Group -- in Hong Kong to review the work of public hospitals in the management and infection control of the disease.
The Public Health Group of the SARS Expert Committee, chaired by Professor Sian Griffiths, will start its five-day tightly scheduled meetings on Monday.
Other members of the group are: Meirion Evans, Harvey Fineberg,Jeffrey Koplan and local expert Lee Shiu-hung.
During their stay, members will meet the chairman and senior executives of Hospital Authority to obtain an overview on the management of SARS in public hospitals. They will also meet with hospital chiefs and health officials to learn about the SARS outbreaks in individual hospitals and Amoy Gardens as well as contact tracing work.
The group will also examine the health control measures on the prevention and containment of SARS, including those in the residential care homes.
In addition, members will meet with legislators, and local experts in the area of epidemiological studies.
The Public Health Group will join the Hospital Management and Administration Group in August in a plenary session for deliberation of overall and interfacing issues.
The SARS Expert Committee, comprising these two groups, was appointed by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa to identify lessons to be learnt and make recommendations on improvement measures to the public health system against any possible resurgence of SARS.
The Committee is expected to conclude its work and submit a report to the chief executive in September.
(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2003)
