SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1992
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HK PLEDGES US$50,000 TO ESCAP TO HELP DISABLED
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HONG KONG HAS PLEDGED US$50,000 TO THE UNITED NATIONS' ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC {ESCAP} ΤΟ HELP PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF DISABLED PERSONS IN THE REGION.
THE PLEDGE WAS MADE BY DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MISS JACQUELINE WILLIS, WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING IN BEIJING LAST WEEK TO LAUNCH THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC DECADE OF DISABLED PERSONS 1993-2002.
WILLIS TOLD THE MEETING THAT THE PLEDGE ALSO SHOWED THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT TO ESCAP.
MISS
"CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS WILL NOT ONLY HELP FUND THE MANY WORTHY PROJECTS TO BE HELD IN THE DECADE BUT ALSO UNDERLINE OUR JOINT EFFORT AND CONVICTION TOWARDS OUR COMMON GOAL, SHE SAID.
SPEAKING UNDER ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM AT THE MEETING, MISS WILLIS SAID THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF DISABLED PERSONS 1983-1992 HAD BEEN A VERY FRUITFUL DECADE FOR REHABILITATION SERVICES IN HONG KONG WHERE THERE WAS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF PREVENTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF DISABILITIES.
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"PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES ARE MAINLY PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH A NETWORK OF CLINICS AND IN 46 MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CENTRES COVERING 370,000 WOMEN AND BABIES EACH YEAR, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT THIS REPRESENTS 90 PER CENT COVERAGE OF ALL NEW BORN BABIES IN HONG KONG.
THERE IS ALSO PERINATAL CARE AVAILABLE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AT RISK, WHICH PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE PREVENTION OF PERINATAL DISORDERS THAT MAY LEAD TO MENTAL HANDICAP, CEREBRAL PALSY AND OTHER DISABILITIES.
"FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN, IMMUNISATION PROGRAMMES ARE PROVIDED TO PREVENT COMMON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, SHE SAID.
SHE ALSO DESCRIBED THE NEONATAL EXAMINATIONS AND SCREENING TESTS FOR ALL NEW BORN BABIES TO ENSURE THAT DISABILITIES WERE IDENTIFIED EARLY.
MISS WILLIS SAID TRAINING ΤΟ
TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF DISABLED PERSONS, SPECIAL CENTRES HAD BEEN SET UP TO PROVIDE CARE AND DISABLED CHILDREN BEFORE THEY REACHED SCHOOL AGE.
LIKE ALL OTHER CHILDREN IN HONG KONG, DISABLED CHILDREN CAN RECEIVE NINE YEARS OF EDUCATION, EITHER IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS OR IN ORDINARY SCHOOLS WITH SUPPORT SERVICES.
DISABLED SCHOOL LEAVERS, IF NECESSARY, ARE PROVIDED WITH JOB SKILLS TRAINING IN SPECIALLY DESIGNED COURSES,
/"TRAINED OFFICERS