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outbreaks. Much effort has been put into the development of information technology the Public Health Information System and the Laboratory Information System have been launched and the Communicable Disease Information System that enables real-time data exchange on communicable diseases among different sectors in the community is in the pipeline.

To enhance laboratory services, the Centre for Health Protect has strengthened its diagnostic capacity, epidemiological surveillance, data analysis and laboratory safety and quality assurance. Prevention and protection against known diseases was reinforced by improving the control of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. A Board of Scientific Advisors with seven scientific committees was set up in order to pool professional expertise. Training and research programmes were also launched.

In addition to forming its own risk communication strategies and action plans, the centre strengthened communication with the community with the help of District Councils, educational campaigns and publicity programmes. Regional and international collaborative efforts, including meetings, international symposia and attachment/exchange programmes reinforced networks with other health authorities. and agencies on the Mainland and in Macao and other countries, and allowed an interchange of professional knowledge and experience in combating diseases. A Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System was also established and fact sheets on environmental health issues were prepared to reinforce the protection against non- communicable diseases and environmental health hazards.

Preparedness Plan and Drills for Avian Influenza Prevention

The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau published the Government's Preparedness Plan for an Influenza Pandemic in early 2005. The plan, which adopts a cross-sectoral and population-based approach, enhances government and community preparedness to cope with various avian/pandemic influenza emergencies. It is underpinned by an overall Government emergency response mechanism with a clear command structure and a given set of public health measures which are essential if the Government is to make swift decisions about handling infectious disease outbreaks. In this connection, the Centre for Health Protection organised various publicity and public educational activities on influenza pandemic preparedness for the community at large during the year. They included briefings on influenza pandemic preparedness and business continuity planning for different sectors, for example, government departments, relevant non-governmental organisations and institutions, healthcare professionals, chambers of commerce, consulates-general, utilities and banking and financial

sectors.

The centre also conducted regular inter-departmental drills and exercises to ensure that the contingency plans of relevant departments and agencies for infectious disease outbreaks would work well. Three exercises and drills have been conducted since 2004. For example, Exercise POPLAR, an inter-departmental exercise to review contingency plans for managing outbreaks of avian/pandemic influenza in Hong Kong, was conducted in November with the Chief Executive, the Secretary for