XN000022-1982-08-05 — Page 7

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1982

NEARLY 250 000 IN SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME

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NEARLY $12 MILLION WAS SPENT IN THE 1981-82 FISCAL YEAR BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN PROVIDING MEDICAL SERVICES TO SCHOOL CHILDREN, IT IS STATED IN THE SESSIONAL REPORT OF THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD.

AT A COST OF $55 A YEAR FOR EACH PUPIL WITH $50 PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT AND $5 BY THE CHILD ABOUT 245 000 CHILDREN WERE COVERED BY THE SCHEME DURING THE YEAR, WHICH WORKED OUT AT ALMOST ONE CHILD IN EVERY THREE ELIGIBLE CHILDREN ATTENDING PRIMARY CLASSES AND UP TO FORM THREE.

DOCTORS WHO APPLY TO JOIN THE SCHEME PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES IN THEIR OFFICES DURING NORMAL CONSULTATION HOURS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE THE DISCRETION TO ISSUE PRESCRIPTIONS TO BE FILLED AT A PHARMACY, WITH THE COST TO BE BORNE BY THE PATIENT.

ESTABLISHED IN 1964, WHEN THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD WAS CONSTITUTED AS A STATUTORY BODY, THE SCHEME NOW EMBRACES 852 SCHOOLS, REPRESENTING 70 PER CENT OF ALL ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS, AND HAS 232 DOCTORS TAKING PART.

THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL PLAYS THE KEY ROLE IN THE SCHEME, THE REPORT POINTS OUT, AS HE OR SHE IS ASKED TO MAKE KNOWN ITS EXISTENCE, CHOOSE A DOCTOR FOR THE SCHOOL AND REQUEST AN INITIAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPATION CARDS, EACH OF WHICH WILL BEAR THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR CHOSEN.

THE SCHOOL-BASED SCHEME IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN, AND PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY. DURING THE YEAR, IT GREW BY 18 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND PROVIDED SOME 600 000 CONSULTATIONS AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS. ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHEME COST $561 000, COMPARED WITH $416 000 FOR THE YEAR BEFORE. DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT AND DENTAL CARIES REMAIN THE MOST COMMON AILMENT AMONG THE CHILDREN, ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF WHOM ARE IN THE 6-12 AGE GROUP.

THE SCHEME IS NOT TIED TO THE ACADEMIC YEAR, BUT ALLOWS THE PUPILS TO ENROL AT ANY TIME. THUS THE CHILD IS ABLE TO VISIT THE DOCTOR CHOSEN BY THE SCHOOL ONCE THE CHILD OBTAINS A PARTICIPATION CARD, AND THEREAFTER DURING THE 12 MONTHS THE CARD IS VALID.

EFFORT IS CONSTANTLY BEING MADE TO MAKE THE SCHEME MORE WIDELY KNOWN, AND AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH ACADEMIC YEAR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT URGES ALL SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TO BRING THE SCHEME TO THE ATTENTION OF PUPILS AND TO ASSIST IN THEIR ENROLMENT.

WITH SCHOOLS ACTING AS THE MAIN CHANNEL OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHEME, THE BOARD IS REASONABLY SATISFIED THAT WITHIN ITS RESOURCES THE SERVICE IS ADEQUATELY PUBLICISED, ALTHOUGH LOW-KEY, THE REPORT STATES.

SIR ALBERT RODRIGUES IS CHAIRMAN AND DR HARRY FANG VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHEME, WHICH HAS ITS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF LEE GARDENS, HYSAN AVENUE, HONG KONG.