XN000022-1986-09-21 — Page 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1986

UK MINISTER STARTS WEEK'S VISIT

*****

BRITISH MINISTER OF STATE AT HOME OFFICE, MR DAVID WADDINGTON, ARRIVED IN HONG KONG TODAY (SUNDAY) FOR A SEVEN-DAY VISIT.

DURING HIS STAY IN HONG KONG, MR WADDINGTON WILL CALL ON THE GOVERNOR, RECEIVE BRIEFINGS BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON A NUMBER OF SUBJECTS INCLUDING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, IMMIGRATION AND NARCOTICS AND MEET UMELCO MEMBERS.

MR WADDINGTON WILL JOIN A HELICOPTER TOUR TO SEE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE TERRITORY. HE WILL ALSO VISIT THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, THE MAN KAM TO CONTROL POINT, THE SHEK KWU CHAU TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION CENTRE, THREE REFUGEE CLOSED CENTRES AND THE KAI TAK TRANSIT CENTRE.

HE WILL HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE GIS PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM AT 4 PM ON FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 26).

MR WADDINGTON WILL LEAVE HONG KONG NEXT SATURDAY.

HK MEDICAL, SOCIAL SERVICES A PROUD TRACK RECORD

*****

HONG KONG CAN BE JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF ITS TRACK RECORD IN PROVIDING MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT A WELFARE STATE IN THE SENSE THE TERM IS USED IN THE WEST.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (SUNDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, WHEN OPENING THE FIRST HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON MEDICAL ADVANCES ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,

HE TOLD MEDICAL EXPERTS ATTENDING THE CONGRESS THAT NO ONE IN HONG KONG HAD TO GO WITHOUT MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE HE COULD NOT AFFORD IT.

+OUR PUBLIC HOSPITALS ARE OPEN TO ALL AT A NOMINAL CHARGE OF HK$20 A DAY- THIS COVERS ALL MEDICAL ATTENTION, MEDICINES, TESTS AND OPERATIONS AND CAN BE WAIVED FOR PATIENTS WHO GENUINELY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY EVEN THIS LEVEL OF CHARGES.

+ IN ADDITION TO THE HOSPITALS, THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF OUT-PATIENT CLINICS, FOR WHICH THE CHARGE IS ONLY HK$13 A VISIT, AND ONCE AGAIN THIS FEE CAN BE WAIVED IF NECESSARY, + MR CHAMBERS SAID.

/AT PRESENT