Alexis Tam in Geneva World Health Assembly | Chinese health minister wants to help Macau

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam (4th left), members of the delegation, and the Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Li Bin (5th left), pose for a group photo in Geneva

The Government attaches “great importance in enhancing the quality of medical services and it is carrying out reforms for a better system to meet the people’s increasing healthcare needs,” said the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture in Geneva during a meeting with the Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Ms Li Bin, in a meeting earlier this week ahead of the opening of the 68th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, a note from the Government Information Bureau (GCS) states.
Mr Tam said he was looking forward to more co-operation opportunities between local institutes and the mainland, including more exchanges of medical staff, to enhance standards.
He thanked Ms Li for the country’s support in building a contact mechanism, allowing the government to receive the latest information on epidemics to prevent outbreaks, especially during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003.
Ms Li said the Commission would give full support to the Macau government in developing a better medical service system; the Commission was looking forward to more involvement from Macau in strengthening its countrywide rescue team, following the call for a new global health emergency workforce by the Assembly, reads the press release.
The following day, Alexis Tam attended the opening of the Assembly, as a member of the Chinese delegation, along with the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Lai Ieng Kit; the Director of the Health Bureau, Dr Lei Chin Ion; and the Deputy Director of the Health Bureau and Director of the Conde S. Januário hospital, Dr Kuok Cheong U.
The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). This year, it is being held in Geneva between 18-26 May. Its main functions are to stipulate policies for WHO, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget.