The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to Wuhan today (June 11) to attend the Chinese Organ Donation Day cum the 8th Chinese Transplant Games organised by the China Organ Transplantation Development Foundation, and to meet with the Health Commission of Hubei Province for an exchange of views. 

     Professor Lo said, "Organ donation is a selfless and generous act of benevolence to save lives. Over the years, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been committed to cultivating support for organ donation in society, with a view to nurturing a culture that embraces organ donation, thereby rekindling hope for patients awaiting organ transplants to live a new life.

     "I joined this meaningful occasion today with great pleasure and cheered in person for Hong Kong athletes. Eight Hong Kong athletes who have received organ transplants are participating in the badminton and table tennis events. Apart from the competitions, we also stand together to promote the noble cause of organ donation and pay tribute to organ donors. I am hopeful that more citizens will support organ donation, thus giving patients awaiting organ transplants a chance to have a new lease of life."

     Professor Lo and his delegation earlier met with officials of the Health Commission of Hubei Province to exchange views on the healthcare developments of the two places and discuss further promotion of co-operation between Hubei and Hong Kong in the healthcare realm. Professor Lo and his delegation also visited the Wuhan Asia General Hospital to learn about the hospital's air rescue services and its facilities in the cardiovascular disease wards. The hospital, a Hong Kong enterprise, is a large-scale clinical healthcare centre established in accordance with the standards of a Tier III Class A hospital. At the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic, the hospital was the very first non-public hospital in Wuhan designated to offer treatment to COVID-19 patients. The hospital also pledged to accord priority to admitting infected Hong Kong residents in Wuhan at the height of the epidemic, and subsequently supported Hong Kong's anti-epidemic work through the provision of test kits.  

     The delegation members include the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Tony Ko, as well as officials of the Health Bureau, the Department of Health and the HA. Professor Lo and his delegation will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (June 12). During his absence, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, is the Acting Secretary for Health.

Ends/Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Issued at HKT 18:14

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