XN000022-1978-01-13 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1978

SUCCESS OF REHABILITATING A DISABLED DEPENDS ON CONCERTED EFFORTS

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THE SUCCESS OF REHABILITATING A PHYSICALLY HAND ICAPPED PERSON DEPENDS ON THE CONCERTED EFFORTS OF MEDICAL AND PARAMEDICAL STAFF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, THE COMMUNITY AND, ABOVE ALL, THE PATIENT HIM- SELF.

THIS WAS STATED BY DR. S.F. LAM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR (MEDICAL) OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE LIONS CLUB OF KOWLOON CENTRAL THIS EVENING.

HE SAID REHABILITATION OF THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED EMBODIED THE WHOLE PROCESS OF RESTORING DISABLED PERSONS BACK TO NORMAL LIFE OR AS NEAR TO ONE AS POSSIBLE, AND EACH AND EVERY PARTY CONCERNED HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE PROCESS.

ON THE PART OF THE PATIENT HIMSELF DR. LAM SAID, THE WILL TO SUCCEED IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS COULD DO MORE THAN ANY FORM OF THERAPY.

+HISTORY IS FULL OF EXAMPLES OF COURAGEOUS MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SURMOUNTED THEIR PHYSICAL HANDICAP AND HAVE REHABILITATED THEM- SELVES,+ HE SAID.

DR. LAM SAID ALTHOUGH REHABILITATION IS THE CONCERN OF ALL DOCTORS, YET IN PRACTICE, NURSES, PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS ARE MOST CLOSELY CONCERNED WITH PHYSICAL RECOVERY.

IN ADDITION, SOCIAL WORKERS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS HAVE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION IN CONTINUING CARE AT HOME, AND IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES RESETTLEMENT OR HOUSING OFFICES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING OR JOB PLACEMENT STAFF MUST ALSO PLAY THE IR PART.

DR. LAM WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE CONTRIBUTION OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAS ALWAYS BEEN INVALUABLE.

+THESE ORGANISATIONS ARE USUALLY THE FIRST TO REACT TO ANY NEED AND ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO WHAT IS LACKING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND CAN AROUSE PUBLIC INTEREST AND EVEN PRESSURE TO INFLUENCE LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE NEEDED, HE SAID.

DR. LAM ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF REHABILITATION AND THIS IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE ADOPTION NOT TOO LONG AGO OF THE WHITE PAPER ON REHABILITATION AND THE SETTING UP OF A REHABILITATION UNIT AT THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

+THIS CO-ORDINATION AMONGST THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WILL AVOID FRAGMENTATION AND DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS, ECONOMISE ON RESOURCES, PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF CARE. FEED BACK INFORMATION AND SUPPLY EXPERTISE FOR IMPROVEMENT AND MATERIAL FOR RESEARCH, + HE SAID.

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