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Patsy Moy

Hong Kong's director of health has quit  to take up a senior post  at the World Health Organisation (WHO) -  the third senior official to leave  the government in four days.

Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, who along with other top health officials is facing an independent investigation for her handling of the Sars outbreak, said yesterday she had accepted the post of director of protection of the human environment for a two-year term at WHO headquarters in Geneva.

Civil servant unions welcomed the appointment as an honour for Hong Kong.

But the medical sector said the departure of a public health expert  experienced in handling outbreaks of infection  was a big loss,  especially when the city was facing a possible new Sars outbreak in winter.

Dr  Chan,  55, announced her departure  just three days after security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and finance chief Antony Leung Kam-chung resigned on Wednesday.

The health chief has worked for the government for 25 years and had more than a year to run on her two-year contract.  A government spokesman  said yesterday it would facilitate Dr Chan's schedule to take up her post at the WHO.

Asked whether her departure would undermine  morale among civil servants, especially when the government was faced with a serious political crisis, Dr Chan said: 'We should take a different perspective. My appointment may [reflect] the WHO's recognition of the professional standard of public health and medical system in Hong Kong.

'It may also reflect recognition of the contribution by Hong Kong in promoting public health. Of course, the appointment is not my personal achievement, it involves good team work from my colleagues and the support from the community.

'I clearly understand the new post involves a heavy responsibility to promote public health at the global level. It is also a big challenge. But I am pleased to serve in my new post as a bridge between my Hong Kong colleagues and overseas counterparts to work on public health.'

Dr Chan  denied that her department bore any blame for  the  government's political problems.

She said she chose to leave the government because her role in the development of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance had ended.

'At that time [last August], the Chinese medicine policy and ordinance were at a critical stage of development,' she said.

'So we worked on an understanding that I would stay for two years. But now the Chinese medicine ordinance has been smoothly enacted. The purpose of my staying on as the Director of Health on contract has been completed.

'The department has many capable and well-qualified officers to carry on with the very important work of protecting the health of the community.'

It is not clear whether her post will be filled by her deputies Leung Pak-yin or Lam Ping-yan.

Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants Association deputy secretary Li Kwai-yin and the Government Employees Association vice-chairman Ho Kam-ching said Dr Chan's appointment was an honour for Hong Kong. 'The situation is completely different from the resignation of the security and the financial chiefs, who left their jobs after all the unhappy incidents,' Ms Li said.

However, legislator Lo Wing-lok, president of the Medical Association, said: 'We are now in the process of reviewing our medical and public health systems, which requires experienced health officials.  Her departure is a big loss.'



Director of health quits her post for top WHO job in Geneva