XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 39

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

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+ IN THE PAST, YOUTH ORGANISATIONS AND STUDENT BODIES SUCH AS THE FEDERATION OF YOUTH GROUPS AND STUDENT UNIONS HAVE HELPED IN DISTRIBUTING REGISTRATION FORMS AND ENCOURAGING THEIR MEMBERS TO REGISTER DURING THE VOTER REGISTRATION PERIODS,+ HE SAID.

→THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO RELY ON THEIR ASSISTANCE IN FUTURE REGISTRATION DRIVES, HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO THE RECENT AMENDMENT IN THE ELECTORAL LAWS MR FORD SAID THIS ALLOWED APPLICATIONS FOR VOTER REGISTRATION TO BE ACCEPTED ON A YEAR-ROUND BASIS.

+VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT OVER 400 PERMANENT DISTRIBUTION OUTLETS, SOME OF WHICH ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETTED AT YOUNG PEOPLE E.G. PUBLIC LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY CENTRES, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEGES OF EDUCATION,+ HE SAID.

DURING THE IDENTITY CARD RE-ISSUE EXERCISE BEGINNING IN 1987. VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AT ALL THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICES TO GIVE EVERY CITIZEN A FRESH OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER, HE ADDED.

NO PLANS TO PROMOTE HOSPICE CARE SERVICE IN HK

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ALTHOUGH A SIMPLIFIED FORM OF HOSPICE CARE EXISTED AT A HONG KONG HOSPITAL, THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE PLANS TO PROMOTE SUCH A SERVICE ON A TERRITORY-WIDE BASIS. THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM, MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT THE SERVICE EXISTED AT THE OUR LADY OF MARYKNOLL HOSPITAL AND THAT IT WAS ALSO BEING CONSIDERED BY THE NAM LONG AND UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITALS,

EXPLAINING THAT HOSPICE CARE WAS PIONEERED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, HE SAID THAT IT REQUIRED THE TOTAL INVOLVEMENT, PHYSICAL, MORAL AND SPIRITUAL, OF THE PATIENT'S FAMILY, RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE AIM OF KEEPING THE PATIENT IN HIS HOME ENVIRONMENT AND OUT OF HOSPITAL FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES CONSIDERED THAT THE SOCIO-MEDICAL NEEDS OF TERMINALLY-ILL PATIENTS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS WERE AT PRESENT ADEQUATELY ATTENDED TO.

+TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES DO HAVE ACCESS TO EXPERT ADVICE AND COUNSELLING FROM DOCTORS, NURSES AND MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS.+

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