Prosthetic progress: Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow checks the recovery of a Sichuan earthquake victim.

Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow met five Sichuan earthquake victims in Tai Po Hospital today, encouraging them to have a bright future despite undergoing amputations. He urged them to maintain good health and keep a positive and active attitude in pursuing a fruitful life.

With the help of the Stand Tall project initiated by the Chinese Speaking Orthopaedic Society, the five victims were provided with prostheses and rehabilitation services. One came to Hong Kong for an operation in July, while the other four Beichuan Secondary School students came to receive medical assessment and training.

The Government's Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas has allocated $46 million to the Stand TAll project for establishing the Sichuan-Hong Kong Rehabilitation Training & Development centre to train rehab experts for Sichuan. The project also provides prosthetics and rehabilitation services like physiotherapy and psychological counselling to the earthquake victims.