23
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1989
BOAT PEOPLE PUT STRAIN ON MEDICAL SERVICES
BOAT VIETNAMESE
PEOPLE HAS UNDULY THE CONTINUING INFLUX OF
HEALTH SERVICES, AND A STRAINED ALREADY OVER-STRETCHED MEDICAL AND
DR MAJOR DISRUPTION OF HONG KONG'S HEALTH RECORD MAY WELL LIE AHEAD, THE HON LEONG CHE-HUNG SAID IN
COUNCIL TODAY THE LEGISLATIVE
(WEDNESDAY).
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, DR SPEAKING IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON
PEOPLE AS A LEONG SAID THE PRESENCE OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BOAT
OF FIRST ASYLUM HAD LED RESULT OF HONG KONG'S BEING A PORT
ΤΟ
CRISIS SITUATION.
PUBLIC BOAT PEOPLE HEALTH WITHIN THE AND HOSPITAL
SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS IN THE DESPITE THE SUBSTANTIAL SERVICE, DOCTORS HAD TO BE DEPLOYED TO REFUGEE CAMPS AND CENTRES WHILE THE MAINTENANCE OF THE SANITARY AND CAMPS PLACED AN EXTRA BURDEN ON THE STAFF OF THE HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.
MORE
VIETNAMESE
WERE
MEDICAL SERVICES FOR
AS
IN
MEANT THE UPSURGE
ARRIVALS TRANSFERRED TO PUBLIC HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT, LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE JEOPARDISED AND DELAYED, HE SAID.
THE PROBLEM WAS AGGRAVATED THROUGH THE THE CAMPS BEING CONDUCIVE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.
TO
THE
RAPID
SPREAD
CROWDED
OF
CONDITIONS IN INFECTIOUS
AND
OUR ALREADY "WITH THESE CAMPS ONLY SEPARATED BY A FENCE FROM
BRING TO THE CROWDED ENVIRONMENT, I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT IT WOULD
FORM HEALTH OF THE POPULATION OF HONG KONG SHOULD AN EPIDEMIC OF SOME DEVELOPED IN THE CAMPS, HE SAID.
||
HE REGRETTED THAT IN SPITE OF WHAT
BOAT PEOPLE,
AND
ITS PEOPLE HAD DONE FOR HONG
STILL BEING KONG WAS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS PINPOINTED BY HIGH-SOUNDING INTERNATIONAL HUMAN AS "RACISTS" AND "INHUMANE",
"THERE IS SOMETHING
VERY WRONG IN OUR
EXISTING VIETNAMESE ABOUT REFUGEE POLICY WHICH IS TOTALLY OUT OF FOCUS AND FAILS TO BRING PROPER SOLUTIONS, HE SAID.
THE OF
AS INCONSISTENCY IN IMMIGRATION CONTROVERSIES, SUCH MANY
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OF CHINESE CRITERIA, UNFAIR TREATMENT UNJUSTIFIED ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TO THE REFUGEES AT THE EXPENSE
THE EXISTING POLICY, DR LEONG LOCAL WELFARE SERVICES PREVAILED IN SAID.
AND IT WAS RATHER OBVIOUS NOW THAT VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION WOULD NOT WORK.
THE SCREENING POLICY CUM
/"FIRST OF