Press Release - October 20, 2005

The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region, will visit Ottawa this Sunday (October 23) to attend an international meeting of Ministers of Health to be held on October 24 and 25 to enhance global collaboration and coordination in advance of a possible influenza pandemic.

Some 30 international ministers of Health from around the world and heads of international organizations will discuss priority issues and actions that can contribute to the planning efforts underway within the World Health Organization. The ministerial meeting will focus on issues such as how to enhance international coordination among sectors, including the importance of animal and human health issues related to avian influenza; improving the global ability for early detection and response to an influenza outbreak; improved surveillance; risk communication; development, supply and access to vaccines and antivirals.

Dr Chow will return to Hong Kong on October 27.


For more information, please contact: Stephen Siu, Assistant Director (Public Relations) of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: (416) 924-5544 or email: [email protected] or Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer, [email protected]

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