Report on Sars finds HK officials at fault
By Enid Tsui in Hong Kong
Published: July 6 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: July 6 2004 5:00
An independent committee has criticised senior Hong Kong officials for their poor handling of last year's Sars crisis, which killed nearly 300 people in the territory and devastated the economy.
In a report based on a seven-month probe, the inquiry blamed public health administrators for poor communication to the public, failure to introduce effective quarantine, and mismanagement of hospitals. Among those criticised were Yeoh Eng-kiong, secretary for health, welfare and food, and Margaret Chan, former director of health.
Dr Yeoh apologised in public yesterday but did not offer to resign. Ms Chan was head-hunted by the World Health Organisation last summer based on her Sars experience.