TNAG-1724-FCO40-2437-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 299

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

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REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & WELFARE TO A QUESTION BY DR HON. CHIU HIN KWONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, 20 JANUARY 1988-

1. Dr. CHIU asked:

Question

Given that many kinds of diseases can be transmitted

through blood transfusion, will Government inform

this Council what tests are being used by the Hong

Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service to screen

blood and blood products in order to ensure that they

are safe for the purpose of transfusion?

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE:

Sir,

The blood screening tests currently in use identify the

presence of hepatitis B, syphilis and antibodies to the AIDS

virus. Every unit of blood received by the Hong Kong Red Cross

Blood Transfusion Service is subject to such screening as a

matter of standard practice.

These screening tests are carried

out as recommended by the International Society of Blood

Transfusion, the League of Red Cross Societies and the world

Health Organisation in order to ensure that blood and blood

products are safe for the purposeSof transfusion.