The Department of Health's roles and functions are being scrutinised to ensure no overlap of function with the Government's planned new body on disease control.

Speaking in the Legislative Council today, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said various options are being studied for the setting up of Hong Kong's version of the US Centres for Disease Control & Prevention.

Dr Yeoh said such a body is required as emerging communicable diseases, regardless of their places of origin, can soon be of global concern due to the massive international flow of people.

He said at the initial stage, the body's major areas of work will include further enhancing the surveillance, prevention and control of communicable diseases to protect public health.

Meanwhile, the proposed body's functions may include applied research and development to enable prompt responses to emerging infections.

He said the Government will work out details of the location and the estimated costs for setting up and operating the body after its structure and mode of operation have been finalised.