WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1994
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RESOURCE CENTRES HELP INTEGRATE CHRONIC PATIENTS
PATIENT RESOURCE CENTRES ARE BEING ESTABLISHED IN MANY PUBLIC HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE A FOCAL POINT OF HEALTH EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND ENQUIRY FOR CHRONIC PATIENTS, INCLUDING THOSE SUFFERING FROM SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS.
THIS IS AIMED AT INTEGRATING SUCH PATIENTS BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY.
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-YA IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO FORM SELF-HELP GROUPS FOR THE SHARING OF EXPERIENCE IN OVERCOMING THE TRAUMA OF THEIR ILLNESS.
AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 160 QUALIFIED SPECIALISTS IN INTERNAL MEDICINE WORKING IN THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WHO ARE CAPABLE OF MANAGING RHEUMATOLOGY PATIENTS, INCLUDING THOSE SUFFERING FROM SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS.
THERE ARE ALSO THREE DESIGNATED RHEUMATOLOGY CLINICS AND 20 SPECIALIST CLINICS PROVIDING TREATMENT TO SUCH PATIENTS.
AS REGARDS THE INTERVAL FOR FOLLOW-UP CONSULTATION, SAID THIS WOULD DEPEND ON THE HEALTH CONDITION AND TYPE OF GIVEN TO INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS.
MRS WONG MEDICATION
IT RANGES FROM ONCE EVERY WEEK FOR ACUTE CASES TO ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS FOR STABLE CASES, SHE ADDED.
NO REPORTS OF FATAL RAT BITES
THERE HAVE BEEN NO KNOWN CASES OF FATAL RAT BITES IN THE THREE YEARS.
.
LAST
DURING THE PERIOD, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR RAT BITES AT THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY UNITS OF QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL AND QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL HAS ALSO DECREASED FROM 381 IN 1991 TO 227 IN 1992 AND 102 LAST YEAR.
—
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON LAM KUI-CHUN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID PEOPLE WERE NOT REQUIRED то REPORT RAT BITES.
VICTIMS NORMALLY SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT BY
THEMSELVES, SHE
ADDED.
/ON THE
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