Question No 6
1
REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & WELFARE TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, 11 MARCH 1987
Question :
To guard against possible infection from Hepatitis "B" and AIDS viruses, can this Council be advised what advice or guidelines have been issued in regard to precautionary measures on the use of needles by acupuncturists and tattooists, and if no such advice or guidelines have been issued, whether Government has plans to do so in the near future?
Sir,
Advice on the risk of transmission of
Hepatitis B through the use of unsterilised contaminated
needles was included in publicity material used during a
campaign on the prevention of communicable diseases in 1983.
2.
So far as AIDS is concerned, the pamphlets
produced hitherto do not specifically refer to the use of
needles by acupuncturists and tattooists.
However, new
publicity material now being prepared will include
guidelines on how to prevent infection by the AIDS virus and
other micro-organisms when carrying out acupuncture,
tattooing, ear-piercing, shaving, manicure and other similar
procedures. It is the intention to distribute these
pamphlets as widely as possible, in addition to publicity
through other media such as posters and television.