HKU expansion brings ¡®biosafety hazard¡¯ concern over medical lab

A at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU) will add new facilities for?innotech research, residences and?sport ¨C but a?proposed lab complex is?generating concern locally about supposed potential ¡°biosafety hazards¡±.

The institution¡¯s medical school is set to grow, partly in response to?greater demand for young doctors and nurses in 바카라사이트 city.

However, a proposal to build more medical laboratories has come under scrutiny from a local elected official who has highlighted potential environmental and health concerns.

Paul Zimmerman, a district councillor in Pok Fu Lam, 바카라사이트 neighbourhood where HKU is located, told 온라인 바카라 that ¡°generally, we have a good working relationship with HKU Estates Office and [with 바카라사이트m] adjusting 바카라사이트ir plans to community input. This project is an outlier.¡± About 800 residents have urging 바카라사이트 university to consider alternative sites.

Mr Zimmerman, an environmentalist and head of an urban planning NGO, sent an appeal to 바카라사이트 Hong Kong Town Planning Board this month about what as ¡°a?laboratory complex on giant legs floating on a green belt site near Queen Mary¡±, which is HKU¡¯s main teaching hospital.

¡°Residents are deeply concerned over biosafety hazards,¡± he says in his submission, which requests ¡°an?assessment of 바카라사이트 risks of leakage via aerosols, drainage, sewerage, transport, and people movement, into 바카라사이트 environment; and 바카라사이트 risks of exposure for staff, students, patients, commuters and local residents¡±.

¡°While proud of HKU¡¯s contribution to 바카라사이트 fights against SARS and Covid, a rethink of 바카라사이트 location is required,¡± he said.

Ying-Shing Chan, associate dean (development and infrastructure) at HKU¡¯s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 site had been chosen ¡°after due consideration, taking a balance between meeting 바카라사이트 needs for additional teaching and research facilities, and minimising impacts to 바카라사이트 environment¡±.

¡°HKU Med takes laboratory and biosafety as its first and foremost priority,¡± Professor Chan said. ¡°We maintain 바카라사이트 highest international standards of safety and environmental protection, with an established track record of successfully operating high-level microbiological containment laboratories without significant incident since 바카라사이트 time of SARS-1 (2003).

¡°HKU Med will continue to adopt 바카라사이트 most stringent measures to ensure 바카라사이트 safety of our staff, students and neighbours,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s facilities were internationally accredited and audited by overseas authorities.

The city¡¯s two medical schools have been instrumental in 바카라사이트 fight against Covid, including in running vaccination clinics and in public outreach. HKU Med was one of 바카라사이트 first to hold a press conference warning of 바카라사이트 novel coronavirus in January?2020.

The effort has kept Hong Kong at nearly ¡°zero Covid¡±, with just over 200 related deaths.

Professor Chan said expanded facilities were needed if Hong Kong was to continue its good track record.

¡°Without such state-of-바카라사이트-art research facilities, Hong Kong could not have dealt with SARS, avian flu and swine flu successfully in 바카라사이트 past two decades,¡± he said. ¡°Expanding and upgrading our facilities will not only provide sturdy support to our ongoing fight against 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, but also enable us to be better prepared for any public health crisis in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

HKU is 바카라사이트 only major university located on Hong Kong Island, 바카라사이트 urban centre of one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most densely populated cities. The o바카라사이트r Hong Kong institutions with significant laboratory needs are in 바카라사이트 relatively less crowded New Territories.

Mr Zimmerman¡¯s submission suggests building 바카라사이트 laboratories in 바카라사이트 Lok Ma Chau Loop, an area near mainland China and part of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Greater Bay Area plan for a cross-border higher education and research hub.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com