HONG KONG: Secretary for Food and Health York Chow defended the government's HK$700 million H1N1 vaccination program yesterday as lawmakers criticized the efficacy of the program.

Chow said at a special Legislative Council meeting that the decision on the vaccination program was reached rationally after detailed analysis.

The Executive Council on Monday endorsed a proposal to spend HK$700 million to purchase anti-flu vaccines and provide free injections for 2 million people in high-risk groups including young children, the elderly, medical staffs and chronic patients.

However, lawmakers criticized the proposal, saying that it was too hasty to procure vaccines with no accreditation and clinical tests at present.

"What should citizens do if the vaccines produce side effects? Who will be responsible for this? Are you betting?" Fred Li Wah-ming of the Democratic Party asked.

Chow said the decision was made after detail analysis by the expert committee of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). The government has to prepare for the worst, he added.

"This is not a bet. It's insurance," Chow said.

Despite some lawmakers questioning the effects of the virus in Hong Kong, Chow said this did not mean the government have no grounds for the decision.

CHP controller Thomas Tsang said the risk of developing side effects from the vaccination, such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), was relatively low. GBS can affect the nervous system which may lead to paralysis.

Some lawmakers also questioned the high administration cost. The cost per dose is about HK$100, while the expense for administering the vaccination is HK$50.

Director of Health Lam Ping-yan believed it was worth spending a large sum on the program as a safeguard measure.

"The elderly are prone to infection and complications. The program is worthwhile if there is an opportunity to save lives and prevent hospitalizations," Lam said.

Chow added the government would consider conducting the vaccination program through the public sector if private clinics charged too much.

He emphasized that Hong Kong should order the vaccines immediately due to limited supply.

"Even if all manufacturers focus on producing vaccines against human swine flu, only 5 percent of the world's population can be satisfied," he said.

Yet he assured lawmakers that the vaccines must pass medical tests before adoption.

Meanwhile, the health chief said no extra measures could be implemented even as the World Health Organization raised the alert level to its highest.

"We are already at the emergency level of alert and also at the highest level of alert. But we cannot lower our guard," he told reporters after the meeting.

(HK Edition 06/11/2009 page1)