The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, together with Members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport, will depart for a four-day visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou tomorrow (September 10).

     Mr Lam and the delegation will visit facilities such as a new energy vehicle research centre, smart transport pilot zone and autonomous driving park in Shanghai, to learn about the development of new energy vehicles and autonomous driving. The delegation will also visit the Hangzhou City Brain Operation Command Center, and meet with officials of the two cities to exchange views on smart mobility and traffic management. The Commissioner for Transport, Ms Angela Lee, will join the visit.

     Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on September 13. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, will be the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) will launch the new community collection service tomorrow (September 10) as an enhancement of the medication delivery service. Patients attending specialist out-patient clinics, general out-patient clinics, discharged from hospital and receiving accident and emergency services of all HA hospitals and clinics can choose to collect the HA-dispensed medications at more than 100 community collection points through the medication delivery service.
      
     The HA partnered with large chain pharmacies to provide the new community collection service. Hospital or clinic patients can apply for medication delivery service via the HA Go mobile app and select to deliver their medications to designated addresses such as home or office, or choose community collection points for medication collection. When the medications are delivered to the pharmacy, patients will receive notification via HA Go and from the pharmacist of the community collection point. Patients have to collect their medications within three working days and show the medication collection QR code in the HA Go app for identity verification.
      
     The pharmacists will ensure that the medications are kept under the required storage conditions to ensure medication safety. The Chief Pharmacist of the HA, Mr William Chui said, "When the HA-dispensed medications are delivered to the community collection points, pharmacists will help handle the medications to ensure proper storage conditions and arrangement. Pharmacists will check the medications and provide medication counselling, and answer any medication inquiries when patients collect their medications. Pharmacists will also follow up with the Pharmacy Department of the HA for any medication treatment matters when necessary."
      
     A standard delivery fee of $65 per prescription will be charged for the medication delivery service, with no additional fee required by the partnered pharmacies. The medication delivery service is suitable for patients whose prescriptions have no newly prescribed medication that needs to be taken immediately and they have enough medications on hand that can last until the new medications are delivered to the community collection points. The service covers most medications, including refrigerated items, except for controlled medications classified as Dangerous Drugs under the laws of Hong Kong.
      
     More than 21 000 patients have opted for the medication delivery service since the service launched in March last year. The HA will continue to optimise drug dispensing and collection service models, increase community collection points according to service need and explore collaboration with more pharmacies and pharmacists.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (September 9) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Finistère Department in France, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 830 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 110 000 poultry eggs from France in the first six months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the French authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Conservancy, Chengdu, renewed the five-year agreement on technical exchange and co-operation to continue to promote the development of geohazard risk management of both sides.
 
     The agreement was signed by the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong, and the Deputy Director General of the IMHE, Dr Su Lijun. Under the agreement, both sides will jointly develop innovative technologies for geohazard risk management; enhance technical exchanges and sharing of research achievements; create a new platform for research on georisk prevention and mitigation, and promote mutual visits and training of personnel of both sides.
 
     Mr Fong said that the renewal of the agreement will bring more collaboration opportunities for both sides to develop innovative technologies to tackle challenges in geotechnical works and enhance geohazard risk management. Both sides will continue to exchange experiences and professional knowledge on landslide risk management, mitigation of debris flows and more. Training on landslide risk assessment and mitigation measures will also be provided to personnel of both sides.
 
     The CEDD and the IMHE signed the first five-year co-operation agreement in 2012 and renewed it in 2017. Fruitful results have been achieved in coping with landslide risks, especially on the development of numerical modelling of debris flows and laboratory facilities.
 
     Major research areas of the IMHE cover mountain hazards and environment as well as sustainable development of mountainous areas. The IMHE has also joined emergency operations for large-scale geohazard incidents on the Mainland.

    

     Jointly created by a British cross-disciplinary artist, Chinese and Indian choreographers, together with a team of leading digital interaction and sound designers, "The Accountants" is an uplifting visual spectacle fusing dance with technology. The programme, to be held on September 27 and 28 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, will mark the beginning of the second Asia+ Festival presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
 
     Keith Khan, Head of Culture of the 2012 London Olympics, has worked with a famous British fashion brand on a textile project for the city of Leeds. Xie Xin, a Chinese choreographer who rose to stardom after winning a Mainland dance contest, is hailed as "the ultimate in Chinese contemporary dance". She is also the first Mainland female choreographer who has received a commission from the Paris Opera. Indian choreographer Terence Lewis, active in Bollywood films and musicals, boasts multiple Guinness World Records and millions of followers on social media. Together with the Creative Head of the Terence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company, Mahrukh Dumasia, their works have toured many different countries to critical acclaim. "The Accountants" skilfully incorporates state-of-the-art visuals and everyday communication tools into dance. Audience members are welcome to arrive early to take part in some interactive trivia before the show begins.
 
     "The Accountants" revolves around a young man with Chinese-British heritage and his Indian-British "aunt" who discuss these two cultures through instant messenger. On the same stage, accountants played by Chinese and Indian dancers are busy sifting through cluttered data, either competing or collaborating, as a huge screen spurts out facts behind them. Breathtaking dance, coupled with thought-provoking dialogue and stunning visual effects, adds up to an electrifying encounter between different cultures.
 
     The Times newspaper from the United Kingdom described the programme as a "dazzling hybrid spectacle drawing together dance, text, digital imagery and jolting sound".
 
     "The Accountants" is the opening programme of the Asia+ Festival 2024 and also a celebratory programme of the 35th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. It will be held at 7.30pm on September 27 and 28 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. Tickets priced at $260, $360, $420 and $480 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app "URBTIX".
 
     The programme contains dialogues in English with Chinese and English surtitles. A meet-the-artist session will be held after the September 27 performance. The September 28 show is a performance accessible with audio descriptions and caption reading in Cantonese. There are also two dance workshops suitable for people aged 16 and above with some dance experience. For details, please refer to asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/the-accountants.
 
     The second Asia+ Festival is running from September to November, highlighting the arts and culture of nearly 30 countries from Asia, the Middle East and Belt and Road regions. Apart from stage programmes, there are also thematic exhibitions, an outdoor carnival, film screenings, outreach activities and more, numbering over 100 in total. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/.