XN000022-1987-04-29 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29,

1987

ANTI-AIDS CAMPAIGN ON RIGHT TRACK

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL DEVOTE AS MUCH MONEY AS IS NEEDED TO FIGHT THE AIDS PROBLEM, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID FORD, SAID THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE TOPPING-OUT CEREMONY FOR A NEW EXTENSION OF THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL, MR FORD SAID AIDS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WORLDWIDE AND THERE WILL BE NO LACK OF RESOURCES IN DEALING WITH IT.

+ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN HAVING VERY FEW CASES HERE IN HONG KONG, NEVERTHELESS THERE IS AN OBVIOUS NEED TO IMPROVE EDUCATION AMONG THE PUBLIC, TO WARN THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DANGERS, TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN GENERAL, AND THAT IS WHY THE CAMPAIGN WAS EMBARKED UPON, HE SAID.

MR FORD SAID THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES HAD ADOPTED A SENSIBLE APPROACH IN THAT THEY HAD TAKEN VERY GREAT CARE IN TRYING TO DECIDE UPON THE THEMES OF THE PROGRAMME.

+THEY ARE GOING TO REVIEW THOSE IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC OPINION AND PUBLIC VIEWS ON THE PROGRAMME. EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD THE GOVERNMENTS UNDERTAKE AIDS PROGRAMMES. YOU WILL FIND THAT THEY ARE HEAVILY CRITICISED BY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO SAID THEY'VE GONE TOO FAR OR THEY HAVEN'T GONE FAR ENOUGH, HE SAID.

HE THOUGHT THAT IN HONG KONG THE PROCEDURE WHICH HAD BEEN FOLLOWED WAS BEING VERY CAREFUL AND WAS A WISE ONE.

HE ADDED THAT PHASE TWO OF THE PROGRAMME, DEALING WITH THE PREVENTIVE SIDE OF AIDS WAS BEING LOOKED AT. THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT YESTERDAY BETWEEN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED THAT THE USE OF CONDOM CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROGRAMME.

SO THE +I'M TOLD BY GIS THAT THIS IS LIKELY TO BE THE CASE. PROGRAMME WILL PROGRESS AND IT WOULD BE MONITORED AS WE GO ALONG,+ HE SAID.

ASKED ABOUT PROGRESS ON THE INDEPENDENT MEDICAL AUTHORITY, MR FORD SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS STILL CONSIDERING ALL THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONSULTANTS REPORT WHICH RAISED VERY BIG QUESTIONS FOR THE ORGANISATION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND GOVERNMENT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

+MR CHAMBERS (SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE) IS WORKING HARD ON IT NOW AND I HOPE THAT WITHIN A FEW MONTHS WE WILL BE ABLE TO GO TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR A DECISION ON WHAT WE SHOULD DO ABOUT THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY,+ HE ADDED.

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