ENG-2016 — Page 202

Health

Public Health Laboratory Services

The Department of Health's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch conducts laboratory tests for clinical and surveillance specimens and provides clinical diagnostic and public health laboratory services to the public and private sectors for patient care and other public health purposes.

The branch's Public Health Laboratory Centre is a WHO-designated National Influenza Centre, National Poliovirus Laboratory, National Measles Laboratory of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Supranational TB Reference Laboratory, Regional Reference Laboratory for measles in the Western Pacific Region, Global Influenza A(H5) Reference Laboratory and Sars Reference Laboratory.

Auxiliary Medical Service

The Auxiliary Medical Service is a government department under the Security Bureau, with 99 civil servants and about 6,000 adult volunteers and cadets. Its main role is to reinforce regular medical, health and ambulance services during emergencies and to provide backup in normal circumstances. The volunteers come from all walks of life and include doctors, nurses, pharmacists and paramedics. All are qualified Disaster Medical Assistants. The cadets, aged 12 to 17, receive training in discipline and medical skills, helping them develop self-discipline and a sense of responsibility.

The department deploys First Aid Bicycle Teams along designated cycling tracks in the New Territories during weekends and public holidays. It also runs programmes on first aid at schools and gives talks to the public on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other health-related subjects.

Websites

Aids Hotline Website: www.27802211.com Auxiliary Medical Service: www.ams.gov.hk Centre for Health Protection: www.chp.gov.hk Department of Health: www.dh.gov.hk

Electronic Health Record Office: www.eHealth.gov.hk Food and Health Bureau: www.fhb.gov.hk

Family Health Service: www.fhs.gov.hk

Gay Men HIV Testing Hotline: www.21171069.com

Healthcare Reform: www.myhealthmychoice.gov.hk

Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health: www.smokefree.hk

Hospital Authority: www.ha.org.hk

Oral Health Education Unit: www.toothclub.gov.hk

Organ Donation Website under the department: www.organdonation.gov.hk

Red Ribbon Centre: www.rrc.gov.hk

Travel Health Service of the department: www.travelhealth.gov.hk

Virtual Aids Office of the department: www.info.gov.hk/aids/

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