Substantial Government investment has been made to enhance Hong Kong's capacity to deal with infectious disease, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says.

This includes the allocation of $250 million to the Hospital Authority in the 2004-05 fiscal year and another $550 million in the coming year for strengthening infectious disease control.

The bureau said the additional provision allows the authority to recruit more manpower in coping with its increased workload, and to implement effective infection control measures.

The Government has also allocated resources to the authority and the Department of Health to strengthen their training programmes.