XN000022-1974-03-25 — Page 4

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Monday, March 25, 1974

SIR MURRAY OPENS REHABILITATION WEEK

Long-Term Programme Plan On Rehabilitation Services Soon

The government hopes to start work within the next few months

on a long-term programme plan for the development and co-ordination

of rehabilitation services in Hong Kong, the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose,

said today.

He was speaking at the opening of the Rehabilitation Week at

the City Hall.

Referring to the government's current Social Welfare Five-Year

Plan, the Governor said it includes provision for social and vocational

rehabilitation, case work services and counselling.

The second development programme for special education for

handicapped childron is well underway," he said. "This programme is

aimed at increasing the number of school places for handicapped children,

increasing diagnostic and remedial facilities such as speech therapy;

and improving teaching standards through in-service training."

Furthermore,Sir Murray said, the Green Paper on Medical and

Health Services includes proposals for the expansion of medical rehabilitation

services.

"All this is evidence of the government's concern for the disabled,

and its awareness of present deficiencies, and its determination to do

what it can to help meet them," the Governor said.

/Sir Murray