XN000022-1978-09-09 — Page 4

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1978

THE SECRETARY OF THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD, MR. FRANCIS CAREY, SAID ENROLMENT IN THE SCHEME HAD BEEN INCREASING AT THE RATE OF FIVE PER CENT A YEAR FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

MORE THAN 112,000 PUPILS FROM 750 SCHOOLS HAVE NOW BEEN ENROLLED WITH SOME 200 DOCTORS PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME, HE SAID.

MR. CAREY SAID THE RATE OF INCREASE IN ENROLMENT WAS +ENCOURAGING+ AND MORE PARENTS WERE REALISING THE +TREMENDOUS+ VALUE OF THE SERVICE.

+PARENTS HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS USEFUL TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN IN A MEDICAL SCHEME WHICH ALLOWS FOR AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF VISITS TO A DOCTOR, AND MEDICINE FREE OF CHARGE, ALL FOR $5 A YEAR, HE SAID.

THE SCHEME COVERS ALL THOSE PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND THOSE FROM FORM 1 TO FORM 3 IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

+THIS PRINCIPLE IS IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF PROVIDING NINE YEARS OF AIDED EDUCATION, SAID MR. CAREY.

HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE ENROLMENT KEPT ON INCREASING EVERY YEAR QUITE A LARGE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HAD NOT TAKEN A MORE ACTIVE PART IN ENCOURAGING THEIR PUPILS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHEME.

HE ADDED THAT OF ALL ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS ONLY HALF WERE AT PRESENT PARTICIPATING.

MR. CAREY EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MORE AND MORE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, WHO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHOOSING A DOCTOR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREA, WOULD COME TO REALISE THERE IS VERY LITTLE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK INVOLVED IN THE PARTICIPATION.

HE EXPLAINED THAT ENROLMENT IS SIMPLE, AND THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS.

PUPILS MAY JOIN AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR AND QUALIFY FOR 12 MONTHS' MEDICAL ATTENTION FROM THE DAY THEY ENROL.

ALSO, SHOULD A PUPIL IN A SCHOOL WHICH IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME WISH TO JOIN, ALL HE HAD TO DO IS TO CALL AT THE BOARD'S OFFICE AT ROOM 505 LEE GARDENS. UPON PAYMENT OF $5, HE WILL BE ENROLLED AND GIVEN A PARTICIPATING CARD VALID FOR 12 MONTHS.

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