Central slaughterhouse may be put on fast track
With bird flu continuing to spread in parts of the mainland, Hong Kong's health chief said plans for central slaughtering of chickens could be brought forward because of the unavoidable risk that people will become infected by the virus.
A top-level drill, code-named Poplar, to test internal communications and co-ordination among Hong Kong's bureaus and departments in case a pandemic hits, will be held next Thursday and will involve Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and all his ministers.
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok was speaking after a meeting with the Centre for Health Protection's board of scientific advisers to review the latest global situation regarding bird and human flu.
The meeting follows a summit in Geneva last week at which governments were urged to test their preparedness plans with drills and exercises.
Dr Chow said: 'Knowing there are outbreaks of chicken infections and some sporadic human infections in [our region], we know that the risk of having avian flu infecting humans cannot be avoided.
'The possibility of it becoming pandemic in the world is considered a low risk, but we are monitoring the situation very closely and we have to make sure that we are well prepared when it actually affects Hong Kong.'
Dr Chow said that to reduce the risk of people catching H5N1 flu from infected chickens in wet markets, 'we might have to consider whether the policy of segregation between human and animal should be enhanced, and also putting it into [place at] a faster [pace]'.
Dr Chow had previously said the centralised slaughterhouse might not be ready until 2007. Last night, he said: 'Because we feel that there is added risk if we continue with live chickens in the market, so we might have to shorten the [implementation] programme of regional or central slaughtering.
'We have not had any firm decision but I think we have to look into this as a top priority.'
The $100 million automated abattoir, to be opened at the Food Produce Market in Western, will be able to process 8,000 chickens an hour.
Meanwhile, Centre for Health Protection controller Leung Pak-yin said the Poplar drill would not include any 'ground movement', but would test the communication channels and high-level decision-making processes involving the chief executive.
'In a pandemic, a lot of public health measures and decisions have to be made, for example, closing of schools and drastic control measures,' said Dr Leung.
Dr Chow added that seminars and other forums would be held in the next few weeks to prepare staff of private hospitals and clinics for a flu pandemic.
The government will also reach out to the expatriate community, businesses and agencies.