The Hong Kong government announced Monday that this year's HK$450-million (about US$57.7 million) fund for infectious diseases will focus on avian influenza.

The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said on its website that applications for research into the control of infectious disease in aetiology (the study of causes or origins of disease), epidemiology (the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations) and public health, basic research, and clinical and health services research will be considered.

Higher priorities of the fund will be given to areas such as respiratory infectious diseases including avian influenza and tuberculosis, and vector-borne diseases.

Collaborative research with the Chinese Mainland and overseas institutions is encouraged.

As for the HK$26 million (US$3.34 million) health services fund, it is aimed to boost public health, improve the quality of life, and enhance health system's standard and cost-effectiveness, the bureau said.

Priority will be given to smoking, mental health and healthy community; cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and respiratory disease; and interactions between Chinese and Western medicines.

Applications for the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases and the Health and Health Services Research Fund will open on August 15.

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2006)