Extracts from the Report
- 5 -
CSD's Comments
Health
13. "Poor sanitary conditions
contribute to their heavy workload and refugees sometimes wait days to be seen. Those taken ill at night or at weekends are ignored
The centre clinic operates on a 24-hours basis with a Medical Officer in charge. He is supported by a team of nursing staff. After office hours and on holidays, the Medical Officer is on call. Refugees are well aware that they can attend the clinic at any time and trained medical personnel will refer them to outside clinic or hospital in emergencies.
Sanitary conditions are as good or better than might be expected under the circumstances.
14. "Family planning councilling
is limited
The birth
rate inside the camps is almost 3 times HK's average".
Nurses from the Family Planning Association normally stationed at the centre clinic give family planning services to refugees once a week for each centre.
15.
"Those needing hospital care are taken to HK island and confined in a local prison before and after treatment".
Victoria Closed Centre (within the Victoria Prison complex) is gazetted as one of the approved places to accommodate Vietnamese refugees. This arrangement is absolutely necessary for punctual medical appointments at special clinics.
Food
16. "The diet is severly lacking
in fresh fruit or vegetables
(Miss Anne Marie Tran) said Tuen Mun Camp had had no fresh vegetables for almost two months".
The Dietary Scale is prepared and reviewed by a qualified dietician and meets WHO and UNHCR specifications. Fresh vegetables are provided daily and fruit twice a week.
Miss Tran said the reporter and Ms. Hanbury misinterpreted her statement. In fact, she said that refugees at TMCC were not allowed to buy fresh vegetables from the shop operated by the Save the Children Fund for nearly 2 months due to the spread of infectious disease such as measles and
hepatitis.