Guilty plea in baby death

A couple pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the High Court over the death from malnutrition of their 3-month-old daughter.

The infant died after being fed heavily diluted formula for months. The couple were remanded in custody, awaiting sentence on May 28.

Wong Chi-chung, 21, and Cheung Po-shan, 31, were jobless and living on welfare. The couple also had another child, a 3-year-old boy. The baby girl died of malnutrition in June last year, weighing less than her birth weight. Wong said he had put a lot of water into the baby's milk because the family was poor, while Cheung claimed she had been too ill to take care of the baby.

Probation for sex with minor

A 21-year-old woman was put on a year's probation at the Fanlin Magistracy for engaging in homosexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl.

Tang Sin-hang had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault. According to court records, the out-of-work clerical worker had visited a lesbian website and met the 15-year old girl in August 2008. They had intercourse at the girl's home in December 2008. The girl's mother learned of the incident from a cellphone text message from Tang and reported the matter to police.

37% patients say meds unaffordable

A survey among patients attending specialist clinics at public hospitals found 37 percent do not buy the medicines prescribed by their doctors, saying they can't afford them.

The study, commissioned by charitable organization St James Settlement and the City University of Hong Kong was based on interviews of 360 patients visiting specialist clinics at eight public hospitals in August last year. Among those surveyed, 70 percent said their monthly spending on medicines exceeds HK$1,500.

Privacy laws cited in double murder

The Assistant Director of Social Welfare has defended her department's witholding psychiatric information concerning a man now charged in a double murder from the management of a public housing estate.

Cecilia Yuen, speaking on a Tuesday radio show, said the department does not reveal psychiatric histories, to protect patients' right to privacy.

It has been reported that the management of the Kwai Shing Estate was unaware that the accused killer, Lee Chung-man, had a history of mental illness.

Yuen said employees of the management company and neighbors had the right to report residents seen behaving strangely to the Integrated Family Services Centres for follow-up inquiry. Yuen went on to say she believes the system in place is capable of improvement.

Pharmacies not advised of recall

Confusion marked the first day of the blanket recall of all 434 products of the family-owned Hong Kong company Quality Pharmaceutical Laboratory (QFL).

QFL announced the recall Monday after the Department of Health found 13 of its products defective and identified problems in its production process.

But some of the 31 recall pharmacies listed by QFL said they hadn't been contacted by the company about the recall.

Lau Oi-kwok, Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Pharmacy, said QFL is yet to reveal how it will provide refunds for products that people have started to use.

China Daily

(HK Edition 05/12/2010 page1)