Emergency-ready: Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong says the proposed Centre for Health Protection will start operating in mid-2004, focusing on priority areas.

The proposed Centre for Health Protection will start operating in mid-2004, focusing on priority areas. It will enter full operation in 2005, with six functional branches.

The Advisory Committee on the centre today endorsed a proposal to set up the new public health agency within the Department of Health. 

The Director of Health will head up the centre. A suitable officer from the Department of Health will be appoined chief health protection controller. 

Speaking after the committee meeting today, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said under the proposed institutional arrangements, the Director of Health will provide overall steer while the chief health protection controller would oversee the agency's management and day-to-day operation and formulate strategic plans for the centre.

Six branches to be formed 

Six functional branches will be set up in the centre. They are:

* Surveillance & Epidemiology Branch;

* Infection Control Branch;

* Emergency Response & Information Branch;

* Public Health Laboratory Services;

* Public Health Services; and

* Programme Management & Professional Development Branch.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Carrie Yau said with the setting up of these branches, there should be a clearer demarcation of duties and enhancement of functions to bridge the gaps the expert committee identified.

Pending the full establishment of the centre in 2005, the Surveillance & Epidemiology Branch and the Infection Control Branch will be in place by mid-2004 to enrich and integrate resources to tackle communicable disease outbreaks and to improve collaboration of relevant stakeholders in the public health infrastructure for better infection control.

New body comprises Gov't, HA staff   

The six functional branches will comprise mainly existing staff of the Department of Health and some staff from the Hospital Authority, supplemented by new recruits with appropriate expertise where needed.

Dr Yeoh said the Department of Health has started re-structuring its organistion to cope with the establishment of the centre.

About 1,000 officers for the department will work with the centre at the initial stage.

There is no plan to build an extra building for the centre and some locations of the Department of Health will be refurbished for the setting up of the centre, Dr Yeoh said.

Sufficient resources reserved for the centre

Speaking on the expediture of the centre, Dr Yeoh said the Jockey Club has donated $500 million for the centre to buy new equipment, build new facilities and systems, conduct training and recruit experts.

The Director of Health and the chief health protection controller will review the resources deployment of the centre later.

The Government has also reserved money for the centre, Dr Yeoh said, adding that its financial needs will be one of the Government's top priorities.

The proposal on the structure and operation of the centre will be tabled at the LegCo Health Services Panel meeting in January.

Separately, the committee noted the progress the Government has in implementing the SARS expert committee's recommendations in planning for better communications, surveillance, information and data-management systems.