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{{Short description|Hong Kong government official}}
⚫
'''Yeoh Eng Kiong''' (楊永強) was Secretary for Health and Welfare of [[Hong Kong]] between [[1999]] and [[2002]], and [[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food]] and member of the [[Executive Council of Hong Kong|Executive Council]] between [[2002]] to [[2004]].
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Yeoh Eng-kiong
| native_name = {{nobold|楊永強}}
| native_name_lang = zh-hk
| honorific-suffix = [[OBE]], [[Gold Bauhinia Star|GBS]], [[Justice of Peace|JP]]
| office1 = [[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food]]
|term_start1 = 2002
|term_end1 = 2003
| predecessor1 = Himself, as Secretary for Health and Welfare
|successor1 = [[York Chow]]
|office2 = [[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food|Secretary for Health and Welfare]]
|term_start2 = 1999
|term_end2 = 2002
|successor2 = Himself
| predecessor2 = [[Katherine Fok]]
| image = File:Yeoh_Eng-kiong.JPG
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|04|16}}
|birth_place = [[Ipoh]], [[Malaysia]]
|alma_mater = [[University of Hong Kong]] ([[Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery|MBBS]])
}}
⚫
'''Dr. Yeoh Eng Kiong''' [[OBE]], [[Gold Bauhinia Star|GBS]], [[Justice of Peace|JP]] ({{zh|t=楊永強|s=杨永强|p=Yáng Yǒngqiáng|poj=Iûⁿ Éng-kiông|first=t}}; born 16 April 1946) was the Secretary for Health and Welfare between 1999 and 2002, [[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food]] and a member of the [[Executive Council of Hong Kong|Executive Council]] between 2002 and 2004 in the [[Hong Kong Government]].


Yeoh's father was the late Yeoh Chin Hin, a Malaysian businessman who was a founder and director of [[Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad]].
⚫
== Career ==


⚫
==Career==
Yeoh studied medicine at [[University of Hong Kong|the University of Hong Kong]] and graduated in [[1971]]. Yeoh specialised in [[gastroenterology]]. After a 19-year career as a consultant physician at government hospitals, with recognised work in [[AIDS]] research, Yeoh became an administrator in 1990, and was promoted to the post of Secretary for Health (a civil servant position) in January 1999, which became the political appointment of Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food in 2002.
Yeoh studied medicine at [[Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine|Faculty of Medicine]], [[University of Hong Kong|the University of Hong Kong]] where he was elected President of the Student Union in 1969 and graduated in 1971. He specialised in [[gastroenterology]]. In 1979, he became a consultant physician at [[Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong|Queen Elizabeth Hospital]].


After a 19-year career at Hong Kong government hospitals, with recognised work in [[AIDS]] research, Yeoh became the first Chief Executive of the newly formed [[Hospital Authority]] in 1990. In January 1999, he was appointed to the post of Secretary for Health and Welfare (a civil servant position). In 2002, he was appointed as the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food under the new political appointee system.
⚫
== SARS ==


Yeoh is currently a professor at The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the [[Chinese University of Hong Kong]].
Yeoh was heavily criticised by the media subsequently for his handling of the [[SARS]] outbreak. On [[March 14]] [[2003]], despite the rising number of SARS cases in Hong Kong, Yeoh insisted there were no signs of a widespread [[outbreak]] - contradicting direct statements from hospital staff.


⚫
==SARS==
⚫
He was forced to resign on [[July 8]], [[2004]] to take political responsibility over the [[SARS]] outbreak. Yeoh was succeeded by [[York Chow]].
Yeoh was heavily criticised by the media subsequently for his handling of the [[SARS]] outbreak in 2003. On 14 March 2003, despite the rising number of SARS cases in Hong Kong, Yeoh insisted there were no signs of a widespread [[outbreak]] of [[pneumonia]]<ref>{{cite web| url= http://app3.rthk.org.hk/special/rthkmemory/detail.php?id=88 |script-title=zh:創意共享：沙士爆發之初, 衞生福利及食物局局長楊永強強調沒有社區爆發 (2003)|trans-title=Creative Commons: At the early stage of the SARS outbreak, Yeoh Eng-kiong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food emphasises there is no outbreak in the community (2003)|language=zh | publisher =RTHK|access-date=2013-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| author= Cannix Yau| url= http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=14072&sid=&con_type=1&d_str=20030315&sear_year=2003 |title=I am no God:Yeoh | publisher =The Standard|date= 15 March 2003|access-date=2008-07-24}}</ref> - this was seen as misleading the public into not taking enough health care precautions. At a hearing at a LegCo select committee, he later explained that he had intended to distinguish the then unnamed disease from other forms of [[community-acquired pneumonia]] and to correct the Chinese-language media who had equated "[[atypical pneumonia]]" with SARS synonymously before the [[WHO]] officially named it. He apologised for the misunderstanding in his communications.<ref>[http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr03-04/english/sc/sc_sars/reports/tra/040313e.pdf Legislative Council Select Committee to inquire into the handling of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak by the Government and the Hospital Authority Verbatim Transcript of the Twenty-second Public Hearing]</ref> He later admitted that he and the government had underestimated the severity of the pandemic and acted passively.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Ma | first=Ngok |date= 2004 | title=SARS and the Limits of the Hong Kong SAR Administrative State | journal=Asian Perspective |volume= 28 | issue= 1 | pages=103 | doi=10.1353/apr.2004.0035 }}</ref>


⚫
He was forced to resign on 8 July 2004 to take political responsibility over the [[2002–2004 SARS outbreak|SARS outbreak]]. Yeoh was succeeded by Dr. [[York Chow]].
== External links ==


==Awards==
* [http://hk-imail.singtao.com/news_detail_frame.cfm?articleid=49117&intcatid=42 ''The Standard'' story on Yeoh's resignation]
In 2005, Yeoh was awarded a [[Hong Kong honours system#General Awards|Gold Bauhinia Star]] and an Honorary Fellowship by the [[University of Hong Kong]].


==References==
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{{start box}}
{{Reflist}}
|width=25% align=center|'''Preceded by:'''<br>[[Katherine Fok]]<!--Katherine FOK LO Shiu-ching-->
*[http://www.sphpc.cuhk.edu.hk/cms/content/view/150/56/lang,en/ The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Professor Eng-kiong YEOH]
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|width=25% align=center|'''[[Secretary for Health and Welfare]]'''<br>1999-2002
⚫
{{s-start}}
|width=25% align=center|'''Succeeded by:'''<br>Title renamed and portfolio changed
{{s-off}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Katherine Fok]]<!--霍羅兆貞-->}}
|width=25% align=center|'''Preceded by:'''<br>Title renamed and portfolio changed
|width=25% align=center|'''[[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food]]'''<br>2002-2004
{{s-ttl|title=[[Secretary for Health and Welfare]]|years=1999–2002}}
{{s-aft|after=Himself|as=[[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food]]}}
|width=25% align=center|'''Succeeded by:'''<br>[[York Chow]]
⚫
{{s-bef|before=Himself|as=[[Secretary for Health and Welfare]]}}
⚫
{{end box}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food]]|years=2002–2004|rows=2}}
{{s-aft|after=[[York Chow]]|rows=2}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Lily Yam]]|as=[[Secretary for Environment and Food]]}}
{{s-prec}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Ng Ching-fai]]<br><small>''Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star''</small>}}
{{s-ttl|title = [[Hong Kong order of precedence]]<br><small>''Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star''</small>}}
{{s-aft|after = [[Vincent Cheng Hoi-Chuen|Vincent Cheng]]<br><small>''Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star''</small>}}
⚫
{{end}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Yeoh, Eng Kiong}}

[[Category:1946 births]]
{{Hong-Kong-bio-stub}}
[[Category:Living people]]
{{Hong-Kong-gov-stub}}
[[Category:Government officials of Hong Kong]]
{{med-bio-stub}}
[[Category: Former government officials of Hong Kong|Yeoh, Eng Kiong]]
[[Category:Hong Kong medical doctors]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Malaysian emigrants to Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Hokkien descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:People with acquired permanent residency of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:People from Ipoh]]

Latest revision as of 10:06, 9 June 2024

Yeoh Eng-kiong
OBE, GBS, JP
楊永強
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food
In office
2002–2003
Preceded byHimself, as Secretary for Health and Welfare
Succeeded byYork Chow
Secretary for Health and Welfare
In office
1999–2002
Preceded byKatherine Fok
Succeeded byHimself
Personal details
Born (1946-04-16) April 16, 1946 (age 78)
Ipoh, Malaysia
Alma materUniversity of Hong Kong (MBBS)

Dr. Yeoh Eng Kiong OBE, GBS, JP (traditional Chinese: 楊永強; simplified Chinese: 杨永强; pinyin: Yáng Yǒngqiáng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Iûⁿ Éng-kiông; born 16 April 1946) was the Secretary for Health and Welfare between 1999 and 2002, Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food and a member of the Executive Council between 2002 and 2004 in the Hong Kong Government.

Yeoh's father was the late Yeoh Chin Hin, a Malaysian businessman who was a founder and director of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad.

Career

[edit]

Yeoh studied medicine at Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong where he was elected President of the Student Union in 1969 and graduated in 1971. He specialised in gastroenterology. In 1979, he became a consultant physician at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

After a 19-year career at Hong Kong government hospitals, with recognised work in AIDS research, Yeoh became the first Chief Executive of the newly formed Hospital Authority in 1990. In January 1999, he was appointed to the post of Secretary for Health and Welfare (a civil servant position). In 2002, he was appointed as the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food under the new political appointee system.

Yeoh is currently a professor at The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

SARS

[edit]

Yeoh was heavily criticised by the media subsequently for his handling of the SARS outbreak in 2003. On 14 March 2003, despite the rising number of SARS cases in Hong Kong, Yeoh insisted there were no signs of a widespread outbreak of pneumonia[1][2] - this was seen as misleading the public into not taking enough health care precautions. At a hearing at a LegCo select committee, he later explained that he had intended to distinguish the then unnamed disease from other forms of community-acquired pneumonia and to correct the Chinese-language media who had equated "atypical pneumonia" with SARS synonymously before the WHO officially named it. He apologised for the misunderstanding in his communications.[3] He later admitted that he and the government had underestimated the severity of the pandemic and acted passively.[4]

He was forced to resign on 8 July 2004 to take political responsibility over the SARS outbreak. Yeoh was succeeded by Dr. York Chow.

Awards

[edit]

In 2005, Yeoh was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star and an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Hong Kong.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 創意共享：沙士爆發之初, 衞生福利及食物局局長楊永強強調沒有社區爆發 (2003) [Creative Commons: At the early stage of the SARS outbreak, Yeoh Eng-kiong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food emphasises there is no outbreak in the community (2003)] (in Chinese). RTHK. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
  2. ^ Cannix Yau (15 March 2003). "I am no God:Yeoh". The Standard. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  3. ^ Legislative Council Select Committee to inquire into the handling of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak by the Government and the Hospital Authority Verbatim Transcript of the Twenty-second Public Hearing
  4. ^ Ma, Ngok (2004). "SARS and the Limits of the Hong Kong SAR Administrative State". Asian Perspective. 28 (1): 103. doi:10.1353/apr.2004.0035.
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary for Health and Welfare
1999–2002 		Succeeded by
Himself
as Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food
Preceded by
Himself
as Secretary for Health and Welfare 		Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food
2002–2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Secretary for Environment and Food
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Ng Ching-fai
Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star
 Hong Kong order of precedence
Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star 		Succeeded by
Vincent Cheng
Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star
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