WHO Impressed by Hong Kong's SARS Experience

The first international SARS Clinical Management Workshop was successfully held in Hong Kong on June 13 and 14 when Hong Kong discussed its experience in combating the disease with some 160 clinicians and medical experts from all over the world.

The workshop was co-hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. 

“By sharing clinical management experiences with its international counterparts, experiences gained would help Hong Kong set its direction in treatment modalities and if SARS unfortunately appeared in Hong Kong again, to be better prepared to react faster," the HKSAR Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr. Yeoh Eng-kiong said. 

The Hong Kong experience was praised by WHO's Dr Mark Salter. "The international community, including Hong Kong has reacted in an exemplary fashion to speedily bring this disease under control across the planet," he said. 

WHO's Dr Mike Ryan said he was also extremely impressed by the way in which Hong Kong had managed this epidemic. 

"In fact, it is a model for the world," he said. “The leadership shown by Dr Yeoh and the teams in the public health sector has been exemplary. The expertise of the doctors, the expertise of the nurses and the people of public health, and the public health measures that have been taken, have impressed us since our arrival," he said. 

Dr. Salter’s comment was echoed by WHO’s Executive Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr. David Heymann, and the WHO Director-General, Dr Gros Harlem Brundtland, who paid a brief visit to Hong Kong on June 19 after attending an international SARS conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Dr. Heymann said: “The international community would be much behind in understanding the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak had Hong Kong not been as transparent as they had been. 

“It was the data being collected in Hong Kong which has been used by scientists throughout the world to understand so much about this outbreak."

Dr Brundtland said: “Here in Hong Kong, there has been quite a big outbreak, but it is very much lower and coming down very quickly, which is a very positive sign." 

“What is important is there is a high level of surveillance that it is well done and that the institution and the capacity is sufficient and I have no doubt that Hong Kong will see to it that happens, because Hong Kong has been very serious in its attempts and its actions with regard to bringing down the epidemic."

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