WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1985
25
FULL MEASURES TAKEN TO CONTROL AIDS
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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT HE WAS SATISFIED THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAD TAKEN ALL APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO CONTAIN AIDS IN HONG KONG.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON MRS PAULINE NG, DR THONG SAID THAT ALL THE MEASURES TAKEN IN HONG KONG TO COMBAT AIDS WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE TAKEN BY ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
+AS AIDS IS A NEWLY RECOGNISED DISEASE IN THE WORLD, MY DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN MEASURES TO OBTAIN UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AS WELL AS TO MONITOR THE LATEST ADVANCES IN REGARD TO THIS DISEASE,+ DR THONG SAID.
HE SAID THAT ALL MEASURES TAKEN TO CONTAIN THIS SYNDROME WERE RECOMMENDED BY AN EXPERT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON AIDS WHICH WAS SET UP SINCE LAST NOVEMBER CONSISTING OF MEDICAL EXPERTS, SENIOR MEDICAL ADMINISTRATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TWO UNIVERSITIES.
THE PACKAGE OF MEASURES INCLUDED INTENSIFIED SURVEILLANCE, HEALTH EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND PROTECTION FOR HEALTH CARE STAFF AND SAFEGUARDS FOR BLOOD SUPPLY.
HONG KONG HAD AN EFFECTIVE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION, REPORT INVESTIGATION AND TREATMENT OF ALL COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.
+THIS CONSISTS OF THE EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS WHICH IS TIME-TESTED AND EXTREMELY EFFICIENT IN DETECTING ANY CASES OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE INCLUDING AIDS THAT MAY OCCUR SO THAT THE HEALTH AUTHORITY MAY BE ALERTED TO DEAL WITH THEM,+ DR THONG SAID.
ON HEALTH EDUCATION, DR THONG SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC HAD A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTS OF THE DISEASE.
TO THIS END, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT'S CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT HAD INCLUDED AIDS AS A PRIORITY SUBJECT IN ITS HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMME.
APART FROM MAKING USE OF THE MASS MEDIA TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT AIDS, SPECIAL LEAFLETS WERE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE TO MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
/SINCE MARCH