Chief Executive Carrie Lam today visited the Government Logistics Centre in Chai Wan and handed out surgical masks and daily necessities to grassroots elderly in Sham Shui Po.

At the logistics centre, Mrs Lam learnt about the Government Logistics Department's arrangements for distributing donated surgical masks received by the Government to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

She also found out more about the different means adopted by the department's personnel to procure personal protective equipment globally, in particular surgical masks.

Mrs Lam said she understood that under the tight global supply of surgical masks, the department was facing tremendous difficulties in its procurement with various restrictions and the orders invariably not being delivered as scheduled.

Noting that the Anti-epidemic Fund approved by the Legislative Council has already set aside $1 billion for global procurement, the Chief Executive hoped the department would make full use of the related resources to procure supplies swiftly in the competitive international market.

After meeting the priority needs of healthcare staff and government departments in their anti-epidemic work, the surgical masks can also be shared with the community, in particular relevant sector staff members and the underprivileged.

Given the persistent tight global supply, the Chief Executive had earlier decided to pass all surgical masks donated to the Government to NGOs for redistribution to the underprivileged, primarily the elderly.

Mrs Lam was pleased to note that the department will pass the surgical masks to NGOs as soon as they receive them for distribution.

She then joined Society for Community Organization representatives to distribute surgical masks to the elderly living in subdivided flats in Sham Shui Po.

During her visit to the residents, Mrs Lam said the Government will spare no effort to increase housing supply to improve the living environment of the city's grassroots. She also briefed the seniors on the support measures rolled out by the Government recently.

Mrs Lam thanked various sectors for donating surgical masks to people in need amid the epidemic and expressing care for the community.

She appealed to all members of the public to continue to be united, support the Government’s work to tackle the disease, stay at home as much as possible to reduce social contact and fight the disease together.