ENG-2003 — Page 225

HEALTH

Auxiliary Medical Service

The Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) is a government-financed volunteer organisation established under the Auxiliary Medical Service Ordinance. Its main role is to augment the regular medical, health and ambulance services during an emergency and to supplement these services in non-emergency situations. The AMS has an establishment of 4 418 volunteer members, who come from all walks of life. The Director of Health is the Commissioner of the AMS, and is responsible to the Chief Executive for the efficient operation of the service, which has an establishment of 100 civil servants.

Under the health surveillance programme drawn up to combat the SARS outbreak, the AMS assisted the Department of Health in screening the temperature of all inbound and outbound visitors and other travellers at the Hong Kong International Airport. This temperature screening service was subsequently extended to cover all visitors arriving at land and sea immigration control points, where on average 350 AMS members were deployed daily until mid-November. At the peak of the SARS outbreak, the AMS also mobilised members for duty at the medical stations set up in the Amoy Gardens private housing estate, where they carried out temperature checks on residents and also distributed SARS-related information. In addition, AMS members reinforced the staff at the four designated medical centres and the three isolation centres established under the mandatory medical surveillance programme for persons who had had close contact with SARS patients and the Amoy Garden residents who were required to undergo the 10-day period of quarantine.

During weekends and public holidays, the AMS continues to deploy a first-aid bicycle team on the 11-kilometre cycling track between Tai Wai and Tai Po, under the Volunteer Service Programme. These first-aid teams are able to treat most injured cyclists on the spot in minutes, making it unnecessary for injured persons to be taken to hospital by ambulance. First-aid bicycle teams are also on duty at a number of major events such as the annual Hong Kong Marathon as well as the Walk for Millions, the Trailwalker and other fund raising activities.

In other activities, the AMS assists the Education and Manpower Bureau in running the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme that encompasses various training modules such as basic first aid skills, physical fitness training and team building. In 2003, 14 courses were organised

were organised and 360 youngsters completed the training

programme.

Home Pages

Health, Welfare and Food Bureau: http://www.hwfb.gov.hk

Department of Health: http://www.gov.hk/dh

Hospital Authority: http://www.ha.org.hk

Auxiliary Medical Service: http://www.gov.hk/ams

177

Page 225Page 226