The Nuclear Emergency Committee Office of the Guangdong Province notified the Security Bureau today (January 20) of an operational event at Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station (LNPS), a Security Bureau spokesperson said today.

     On January 15, station staff found out that part of the foam liquid sample taken from the fire protection system of a diesel generator plant at Unit 4 of LNPS failed a routine inspection. On January 17, station staff completed the replacement of the foam liquid according to procedures, after which the foam liquid in the fire protection system concerned returned to normal quality. The Unit remained in a safe condition throughout the handling of the above event. Timely actions were taken by Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management Co Ltd (DNMC) to report the situation to the relevant nuclear safety regulatory authority.

     In accordance with the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale and the relevant nuclear safety regulations, this event regarding foam liquid inspection and the time taken to fix the issue having exceeded operational and technical requirements was classified as a Level 0 deviation on January 19. It had no effect on the safe operation of the Unit, the health of the workers, the nearby public or the environment. DMNC will analyse the cause of the event and carry out internal experience feedback

     DNMC has disclosed the details of this event on its website. They can be viewed in the "operational events" section under the "nuclear and radiation safety information" webpage of the website (www.dnmc.com.cn) (Chinese only).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority.

     The spokesman for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) made the following announcement regarding a sentinel event today (January 20):
 
     A 57-year-old male patient with myocardial infarction was sent to the Accident and Emergency Department of PYNEH on January 16 due to gasping and twitching. His condition was critical and required immediate intubation. He was then admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). On January 18, the patient developed cardiac arrest at 6.30am. Upon immediate resuscitation and examination, an urgent coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were arranged.
 
     The procedure was performed at 2.25pm on the same day. A coronary angiogram for the patient showed serious stenosis of his main and three coronary arteries. In view of the patient's unstable blood pressure, a doctor scheduled to set up an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine before the PCI procedure to support the patient's heart function. The patient's blood pressure did not improve upon the connection of the ECMO machine at 3.53pm. A coronary angiogram was again performed which showed a sluggish coronary blood flow. Coronary arteries stenting was deployed immediately. Between 4.08pm to 4.18pm, blood pressure of the patient could not be detected and an immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed. At 4.24pm, it was noticed by the clinical team that the catheters of the ECMO machine were not connected properly to the patient's artery and vein. An appropriate reconnection of the catheters was made immediately and the PCI procedure was carried out uneventfully. The patient's blood pressure resumed as normal and he was transferred back to the ICU for further treatment. His condition remains critical.
 
     The hospital had explained the treatment process and extended its apology to the patient's family. The clinical team will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patient, maintain close communication with the patient's family and provide necessary assistance.
 
     PYNEH is very concerned about the incident. It has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office (HAHO) via the Advance Incident Reporting System. A root cause analysis panel will be set up to investigate the incident and recommend improvement measures. The report will be submitted to the HAHO in eight weeks.

     The Security Bureau today (January 20) said that an outsourced staff member working in the Secretariat of the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office has tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).   

     The staff member is responsible for providing security services at the office of the Secretariat located at 22/F, Two Chinachem Exchange Square, 338 King's Road, North Point, and he last performed duties on January 15. He was a close contact of a confirmed case on January 17. The staff member wore appropriate protective equipment while performing duties. His body temperature was normal when undergoing temperature screening during work.

     This office was closed immediately for thorough cleaning and disinfection. Staff as needed will also be arranged to undergo COVID-19 testing.

     The Centre for Health Protection has commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted contact tracing on the case so as to identify and trace relevant close contacts. 

     The Security Bureau is highly concerned about the COVID-19 situation and has been strictly implementing various disease prevention measures during the epidemic, which include providing employees with masks and other protective equipment, stepping up the cleaning and sanitising measures of the working environment, and reminding all staff members again to maintain personal hygiene and be vigilant at all times.

     With the support of the Central Government, construction of the temporary hospital adjacent to AsiaWorld-Expo, now named "North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre", has been successfully completed. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, officiated at the completion and handover ceremony today (January 20).
      
     Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Lam Sai-hung; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; and the Director of Architectural Services, Ms Winnie Ho, together with the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui; the Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Wang Weizhong; the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Huang Liuquan; and the Director of the China State Construction International Holdings, Mr Yan Jianguo, jointly unveiled the plaque for the project.
      
     Mrs Lam said in her speech that the project again conveys the Central Government's support for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government's anti-epidemic efforts and its care to Hong Kong citizens. It also gives full play to the deep brotherhood between Guangdong and Hong Kong, as well as that between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. In addition, it showcases the determination and collaboration of the project team and staff members that yield enormous outcomes. 
      
      "The resources, nucleic acid tests and vaccines as well as the temporary hospital completed today, have all demonstrated the Central Government's care to the SAR. Again, it is proven that the Central Government is forever the strongest backbone of the anti-epidemic work of the SAR. I sincerely thank the support and guidance of the Central Government, the Guangdong Provincial Government, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the Wuhan experts. We thank the Shenzhen Municipal Government, different departments and teams for their assistance in the completion of the construction of the temporary hospital. Your hard work and painstaking efforts have rendered Hong Kong great confidence in fighting against the pandemic," Mrs Lam said.
      
     The temporary hospital comprises six ward blocks and a medical centre. There are negative pressure wards, designed with reference to the standards of tier-1 isolation wards, that can accommodate about 820 beds. The HA is striving to put the new hospital into service next month. Together with the community treatment facility expansion completed in early October last year, the Central Government has in total provided an extra 1 800 beds for Hong Kong to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, greatly increasing the resilience of the Hong Kong healthcare system against the pandemic. 
      
     Mrs Lam said that with the adoption of modular integrated construction (MiC) technology, the construction of the temporary hospital was completed in just four months. The use of MiC technology not only enhanced the efficiency and uplifted the quality of the project but also achieved a very high safety standard, providing a valuable reference for the future construction of healthcare facilities in Hong Kong.
      
     She said that under the new wave of the epidemic that began in Hong Kong in November last year, although the number of COVID-19 infected patients that are hospitalised has now dropped to 600-plus, the challenges of anti-epidemic work are still arduous and the Government and the HA will stay vigilant. The Government is actively engaged in the assessment and approval of vaccinations, and the planning of a mega-vaccination scheme, striving to allow citizens to receive vaccinations once available.

                  

     Following is a question by the Hon Elizabeth Quat and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, in the Legislative Council today (January 20):
 
Question:
 
     Regarding the regulation and development of Chinese medicine (CM), will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) as a study has pointed out that there are minimal differences in the requirements to be met and the documents to be submitted for the respective registration of new proprietary Chinese medicines (pCms) in Hong Kong and on the Mainland, but due to the different registration systems for pCms in the two places, it takes about five years or more for Hong Kong-registered pCms to go through the Mainland's registration procedure afresh before they may be sold on the Mainland, and that the Government indicated last year that it would explore with the Mainland authorities matters on facilitating the use of Hong Kong-registered pCms on the Mainland, what progress has been made in the exploration;
 
(2) whether, in the long term, it will consider afresh exploring with the Mainland authorities the setting up of a mutual recognition system for pCm registration between the two places; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, whether it will consider taking the first step of jointly setting a common standard for registration of new pCms in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area);
 
(3) as the Mainland authorities announced in September last year that designated healthcare institutions operating in the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area would be allowed to use Hong Kong-registered drugs with urgent need clinically, subject to approval by the Guangdong provincial authorities, whether the Government will discuss with the Mainland authorities (i) the inclusion of Hong Kong-registered pCms in the relevant directory of drugs, and (ii) the designation as designated healthcare institutions of all high-quality hospitals in the Greater Bay Area, as well as those clinics of Hong Kong's Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs) practicing in the Greater Bay Area and clinics run by funds from Hong Kong; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether it will discuss with the authorities of Guangdong and Macao the collaboration in (i) establishing a clinical trial network for CM in the Greater Bay Area, (ii) drawing up a set of internationally recognised standards for clinical trials on CM, and (iii) establishing an international CM clinical research centre in the Greater Bay Area, so as to promote the research and development of CM in the Greater Bay Area; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(5) given that single CM granules supplied to CMPs for dispensing a prescription to replace any regular herbal medicines are exempted from registration, but in recent years some single CM granules have been tested and found by overseas authorities to contain toxic substances, and there have been cases in Hong Kong in which such medicines were found to have an aerobic count exceeding the prescribed limit and a wholesaler suspected of having made false claims on the production standard, whether the Government will consider amending the legislation to stipulate that (i) all single CM granules must be registered, or (ii) only those single CM granules produced by those manufacturers which conform to the specified production standards may be exempted from registration; and
 
(6) whether the Government will discuss with the competent authorities of CM in the Greater Bay Area and other Mainland cities (i) the collaboration in developing a mechanism for CM teleconsultation and treatment, as well as making complementary arrangements in aspects such as electronic medical records and modes for diagnoses and treatments, and (ii) the joint development of diagnostic and treatment plans or expert consensus in integrated Chinese and Western medicines that have greater efficacy, as well as the clinical collaboration modes (including the modes of inspection of patients, consultation and case conferences to be jointly undertaken by Chinese and Western medicine practitioners)?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), I provide a consolidated reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Elizabeth Quat as follows:
 
(1) to (3)  At present, the Mainland and Hong Kong have in place different registration regimes for the regulation of Chinese Medicine (CM) products. Applicants are required to submit applications for registration of proprietary CMs (pCms) pursuant to the respective registration requirements in the Mainland and Hong Kong and obtain approval, before such pCms can be sold in that particular place. With the support of the Central Government, the National Medical Products Administration promulgated the Work Plan for Regulatory Innovation and Development of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Work Plan) in November 2020, under which traditional pCm products for external use registered in Hong Kong will be allowed to be registered and sold in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) through a streamlined approval process. The Government is proactively following up with the Guangdong Medical Products Administration to implement the relevant arrangement, with a view to enhancing the business exchanges in respect of pCms with the Mainland and fostering the development of pCms in Hong Kong, thereby creating favourable conditions for CM drugs to "go global".
 
     Furthermore, according to the Work Plan, designated healthcare institutions operating in the nine Mainland cities of the GBA may use Hong Kong-registered drugs with urgent clinical use, subject to the approval of Guangdong Province. The Government will implement the measure at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital on a trial basis. Preparatory work has been kick-started with the relevant Mainland authorities, which includes establishment of a collaborative platform and commencement of discussions with the relevant authorities to draw up the directory of drugs to be used in designated healthcare institutions in the GBA in accordance with the Work Plan, with the implementation details to be discussed. The Government will review the implementation in a timely manner to consider if the policy should be extended to cover CM drugs.
 
(4) and (6) In response to the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2025) promulgated by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in November 2020, the Government, through the Chinese Medicine Development Fund, will further encourage local academies, research institutions and the CM trade to co-operate with their counterparts in the GBA to carry out more research on the basic theories, clinical aspects and standards development of CM.
 
     The Government is planning the development of the first Chinese medicine hospital (CMH) in Hong Kong. The types of clinical services to be provided include pure CM services, services with CM playing the predominant role and integrated Chinese-Western medicine (ICWM) services. ICWM services will be provided as regards specific patient types or diseases where CM and western medicine (WM) would be integrated (with CM playing the predominant role) into the care protocols based on the respective strengths of both treatment types to achieve the desired patient outcome.
 
     The CMH will be equipped with teleconsultation facilities for joint consultations with local, Mainland or overseas partnering institutions and experts, and a clinical trial and research centre for Phases I and II clinical trials. This will help promote training and research development of the local CM and CM drugs (including pCms) sector, and foster multilateral collaboration. The CMH will collaborate with local universities (including the three universities with Schools of CM) as well as local, Mainland or overseas institutions to promote and conduct evidence-based clinical scientific research (CM and ICWM), in-depth studies on CM theories, and research on the clinical application of pCms.
 
     Furthermore, the HA was commissioned by the Government to launch the ICWM Pilot Programme (the Programme) in September 2014 to develop clinical protocols for three selected disease areas, namely stroke care, musculoskeletal pain management and cancer palliative care, with a view to gathering experiences in the operation of ICWM and CM in-patient services. Currently, ICWM in-patient services and CM out-patient follow-up services for in-patients of the above disease areas in seven hospitals of the HA are provided to make use of the advantages of ICWM to provide appropriate medical treatment for local patients. Given that the Programme is still in its pilot stage, the HA will continue to explore the development of ICWM services and examine the feasibility of expanding the Programme in a timely manner in response to and in line with the Government's planning and operational model of the CMH.
 
(5) "Single CM granules for prescription" are made from condensed extracts of single CM decoction pieces. "Single CM granules for prescription" sold by wholesalers of Chinese herbal medicines (Chms) are regulated and monitored under the existing regime. "Single CM granules for prescription", when only supplied to CM practitioners for dispensing a prescription to replace common CM decoction pieces, fall into the category of Chms specified in Schedule 1 or 2 to the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (CMO), and are subject to the licensing regime for CM traders under the CMO.
 
     At present, the Chinese Medicines Board (CMB) of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (CMCHK) and the Department of Health (DH) have in place a stringent regulatory regime for the issue and renewal of licences as well as inspections in regard to four types of CM drug traders (namely retailers of Chms, wholesalers of Chms, wholesalers of pCms and manufacturers of pCms). The scope of inspection includes environmental hygiene of the premises, contamination risks, labelling and storage conditions of the CM drugs, transaction documents and records as well as test reports. The CMB has also compiled practising guidelines for the trade stipulating requirements (such as safety standards) to be observed by Chm wholesalers in the sale of "single CM granules for prescription" (Note 1). If there is any violation of the CMO or the practising guidelines, the DH will initiate criminal prosecution or refer the case to the CMB of the CMCHK for disciplinary inquiries.
 
     The DH has also in place a market surveillance system to ensure the safety of CM drug products, including all registered pCms and the Chms listed in Schedules 1 and 2. Apart from conducting investigations and tests proactively, the DH also takes samples of Chms and pCms (including CM granules) from wholesalers and retailers for testing.
 
Note 1: The following should be observed:
 

• Ensure that the "single CM granules for prescription" being sold complies with the three safety requirements prescribed for registration of pCms (i.e. limits of heavy metals or toxic elements, pesticides residue limits and microbial limits);

• Supply "single CM granules for prescription" only to CM practitioners, licensed retailers or wholesalers of Chms. If the "single CM granules for prescription" contain any Schedule 1 medicine, the said granules should be supplied only to registered CM practitioners, licensed retailers or wholesalers of Chms in respect of Schedule 1 medicines;

• Ensure that the label on the container or package of "single CM granules for prescription" includes the following particulars:

(i) name of the "single CM granules for prescription";
(ii) weight equivalence i.e. the amount of original processed herbal medicine that is equivalent to one gram of the granules;
(iii) a statement containing the following Chinese text: "�供中醫處方�發使用";
(iv) packing specification of the "single CM granules for prescription";
(v) normal dosage or maximum dosage of the "single CM granules for prescription";
(vi) name of the manufacturer or distributor of the "single CM granules for prescription"; and
(vii) expiry date of the "single CM granules for prescription"; and
 

• Ensure that the relevant particulars in respect of every transaction whereby a "single CM granules for prescription" containing Schedule 1 medicine, is acquired, received, sold or distributed are recorded.