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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1980
DR FANG ALSO COMMENTED ON SEVERAL OTHER ASPECTS RELATING TO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.
ON THE EXPANSION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, HE NOTED THAT THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF THE SERVICES WOULD BE IMPROVED AND STRENGTHENED DURING THE COMING YEAR.
HOWEVER, HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE ADMINISTRATION, AT LEAST IN THE MAJOR HOSPITALS, TO A CORPORATE BOARD SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT REPRESENTING AND EMBRACING THE HEADS OF ALL CLINICAL AND SUPPORTIVE UNITS.
UNDER SUCH A SYSTEM, HE POINTED OUT, A CHAIRMAN MIGHT BE ELECTED FROM AMONG THEM TO ACT AS THE MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT, AND THE HOSPITAL SECRETARY SHOULD BE UPGRADED AND MADE RESPONSIBLE TO THE CHAIRMAN AND THE BOARD.
TURNING TO PUBLIC HEALTH, DR FANG EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE MASSIVE INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS HAD NOT ONLY OVERSTRETCHED OUR SOCIAL SERVICES, BUT CARRIED WITH IT THE THREAT OF AN OUTBREAK OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.
HONG KONG, HE NOTED, HAS FOR MANY YEARS ENJOYED THE GOOD FORTUNE OF AN ABSENCE OF EPIDEMICS WHICH HAS ALLOWED US TO DISPENSE WITH STRINGENT HEALTH CONTROLS AS INOCULATIONS AND VACCINATIONS.
HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO AVOID ANOTHER PANIC SUCH AS THE RECENT RABIES SCARE AND GIVE ALL RECENT IMMIGRANTS A DEGREE OF HEALTH SCREENING AND IF POSSIBLE SOME BASIC HEALTH EDUCATION.
REGARDING JUVENILE CRIMES, DR FANG DISAGREED WITH RECENT COMMENTS FROM LEADING SOCIAL WORKERS WHO PUT THE BLAME OF THE UPSURGE ON COMPULSORY SECONDARY EDUCATION.
IN HIS OPINION, THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE VERY STRONG ACADEMIC SLANT OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND THE PRESSURE OF WORK.
HE WONDERED WHETHER SOMETHING COULD BE DONE IN THIS AREA +SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ACADEMICALLY INCLINED CAN BE USEFULLY ENGAGED IN PURSUITS WHICH CAPTURE THEIR INTEREST AND HARNESS THE IR ENERGIES+.
ON REHABILITATION SERVICES, DR FANG SUGGESTED THAT THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE MIGHT TAKE OVER THE ROLE OF CONSIDERING APPEALS ON SUBVENTION MATTERS FROM VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHICH PROVIDE SUCH SERVICES.
DR FANG THEN TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO THE HEALTH OF THE WORKFORCE.
AN INJURED WORKER OR HIS FAMILY, HE SAID, HAS TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE MEDICAL, SOCIAL WELFARE, LABOUR AND LEGAL AID DEPARTMENTS, AND SOMETIMES THE COURTS, BEFORE HIS IMMEDIATE NEEDS CAN BE MET AND COMPENSATION PAID.
/HE SLJOUSTED