XN000022-1984-11-08 — Page 23

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1984

+EVEN THEN, IT WOULD BE WRONG TO SUPPOSE THAT. BY VIRTUE OF THEIR CONDITION, THEY PRESENT A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC, SUCH AS TO JUSTIFY THEIR COMPULSORY INCARNATION IN INSTITUTIONS.

+AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT POSE A DANGER EITHER TO THEMSELVES OR TO THE PUBLIC, I CAN SEE NO JUSTIFICATION TO DEPRIVE THEM OF THE IR PERSONAL LIBERTY, HE SAID.

ON THE HON DR HENRIETTA IP'S SUGGESTION THAT FEES AT GOVERNMENT OUTPATIENT CLINICS SHOULD BE RAISED SO THE THEY MIGHT BREAK EVEN, MR CHING EXPLAINED THAT THESE CLINICS SERVED A WIDE AIM FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

BESIDES MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE UNABLE TO AFFORD PRIVATE CLINICS, THEY WERE THE MEANS OF IDENTIFYING PERSONS WHO HAD CONTRACTED COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, WITH A VIEW TO THEIR ISOLATION.

THEY ENABLED THE INCIDENCE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ILLNESSES TO BE MONITORED, AND ACUTE CASES TO BE IDENTIFIED SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE REFERRED TO HOSPITALS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION AND FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT.

+FOR THESE REASONS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO FINANCIAL DISINCENTIVE TO PERSONS PRESENTING THEMSELVES AT GOVERNMENT OUTPATIENT CLINICS, HE SAID.

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