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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a media session after officiating at the launching ceremony of Jockey Club Endovascular & Minimal Access Operation Centre and Jockey Club Endovascular Simulation and Skills Centre this morning (April 2):
Reporter: (about the meeting with obstetrics and paediatrics doctors)
Secretary for Food and Health: We have agreed that we should set a limit for the total delivery number in Hong Kong. Priority should be given to local mothers and only the spare capacity can be given to outsiders, including Mainland mothers. At the moment, the policy of giving a permit for the mothers who have antenatal care in Hong Kong and also pre-registered with hospitals for admission is working quite well. The only consideration is how to ensure this is a limited number for certain period like a year or month and how it can be distributed to different hospitals and also different obstetricians.
Reporter: (about how to control the private sector to provide obstetrics and gynaecology services)
Secretary for Food and Health: It is in the common interests for both the public and the private sectors, as well as the obstetricians and paediatricians to realise that they need to keep the system sustainable and also of a high professional standard. There is a common ground there. We will discuss the details with the relevant parties.
Reporter: (about the restriction number of 88,000)
Secretary for Food and Health: As I said, I think this number seems to be the saturation point for last year. So we will start with that number for discussion.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Saturday, April 2, 2011
Issued at HKT 13:50
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