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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1989
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON MARTIN BARROW, MR BARNES SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THE MSF HAD ALREADY RECRUITED TWO VOLUNTEER DOCTORS FROM COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES TO SERVE THE REFUGEES AT SHAM SHUI PO AND TUEN MUN (BOWRING).
THEY WERE ALSO RECRUITING A THIRD DOCTOR FOR THE CENTRE AT PILLAR POINT, HE ADDED.
"IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL, THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF ONE DOCTOR PER REFUGEE CENTRE WILL HAVE BEEN MET, MR BARNES SAID.
"BUT THE PROBLEM WILL STILL REMAIN OF RECRUITING DOCTORS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS REPLACEMENTS IN FUTURE, OR то PROVIDE IMPROVED MEDICAL SERVICES."
SPEAKING ON THR PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS, MR BARNES SAID THE MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE CLOSED CENTRES, EXCEPT SHAM SHUI PO AND THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE DETENTION CENTRES, WERE PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT DOCTORS ASSISTED BY OTHER STAFF FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
"THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION SINCE IT MEANS THAT IT PUTS AN ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE GOVERNMENT'S EXISTING MEDICAL SERVICES AND DIVERTS GOVERNMENT DOCTORS FROM SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, MR BARNES SAID.
CL
THE GOVERNMENT CONCLUDED A STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE UNHCR ON SEPTEMBER 20 LAST YEAR, HE SAID.
UNDER THE STATEMENT, THE UNHCR AGREED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES AT ALL REFUGEE CENTRES, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUB TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES AT DETENTION CENTRES.
MR BARNES SAID THE UNHCR HAD SUBSEQUENTLY ARRANGED FOR THE MSF TO TAKE OVER THE MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE EXISTING CLOSED CENTRES FOR REFUGEES.
WITH
THAT
"HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A POOL OF VOLUNTEER DOCTORS QUALIFICATIONS OBTAINED IN BELGIUM, THE UNHOR HAVE BEEN INFORMED THESE DOCTORS CANNOT AT PRESENT PRACTISE IN HONG KONG SINCE THEY ARE NOT LOCALLY REGISTRABLE UNDER THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, MR BARNES EXPLAINED.
UNDER SECTION 7 OF THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, ONLY PERSONS WHO HELD A HONG KONG, UK, IRISH OR RECOGNISED COMMONWEALTH DIPLOMA WERE ENTITLED TO BE REGISTERED AS MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
THE ORDINANCE PROVIDED FOR CERTAIN PERSONS TO BE EXEMPTED FROM REGISTRATION: MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS SERVING IN HER MAJESTY'S FORCES, SHIPS SURGEONS, PERSONS IN FULL-TIME SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OR THE UNIVERSITIES AND PERSONS IN TEACHING OR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS.
/"UNFORTUNATELY, THESE