XN000022-1982-12-08 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1982

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BILINGUAL USAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEDICINES PROPOSED

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A PROPOSAL WILL BE MADE TO THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD TO MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR USAGE INSTRUCTIONS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE TO BE ATTACHED TO ALL MEDICINES FREELY OBTAINABLE OVER THE COUNTER IN MEDICINE SHOPS, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY MR WONG LAM AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING, DR THONG SAID USAGE INSTRUCTIONS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE IN A NUMBER OF DRUGS WHICH CAN BE BOUGHT OVER THE COUNTER.

AS FOR THE COMPOSITION OF SUCH PRODUCTS TO BE LABELLED IN CHINESE, HE DID NOT CONSIDER THIS TO BE PRACTICABLE NOR NECESSARY BECAUSE THERE IS NO STANDARD NOMENCLATURE FOR ALL DRUG CHEMICALS IN CHINESE AND IN ANY CASE, KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHEMICAL BY THEMSELVES IS OF LITTLE VALUE TO THE PUBLIC.

DR THONG EXPLAINED THAT AT PRESENT THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THE PHARMACY AND POISONS REGULATIONS WHICH REQUIRE THAT THE COMPOSITION OF ALL PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS BE MARKED ON THE LABEL IN EITHER ENGLISH OR CHINESE, BUT NOT THE USAGE INSTRUCTIONS WHICH ARE NORMALLY AVAILABLE IN A SEPARATE LEAFLET ATTACHED TO THE PRODUCT.

FOR CONTROLLED MEDICINES SUCH AS PART ONE POISONS AND ANTIBIOTICS, WHICH ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN MEDICINE COMPANIES, LABELLING IN CHINESE IS NOT NECESSARY BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH REGISTERED PHARMACIES OR REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS WHO ARE CONVERSANT WITH THE ENGLISH DESCRIPTIONS,

BIG IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO HOSPITAL

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CONSIDERABLE WORK AND IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL WHICH SERVES AS A CONVALESCENT CENTRE FOR THE CHRONICALLY ILL, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L.THONG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY MISS JOYCE BENNETT, HE SAID IT WAS THE INTENTION TO PHASE OUT THE HOSPITAL BUT IT WAS NOT YET POSSIBLE TO DO SO BECAUSE OF PRESSURE ON HOSPITAL BEDS.

HOWEVER, PLANS WERE IN THE PIPELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FACILITIES FOR THE CHRONICALLY SICK IN PROJECTS SUCH AS THE POK OI HOSPITAL EXTENSION, THE SHA TIN INFIRMARY, THE TSUEN WAN INFIRMARY AND THE KOWLOON" HOSPITAL EXTENSION.

DR THONG POINTED OUT THAT THE LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL, WHICH CONSISTS OF OLD PRE-WAR, CHALET-TYPED BUILDINGS, WAS FIRST USED FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND CHRONIC CONVALESCENT CASES IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WAR.

/IN 1975,