XN000022-1990-01-17 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1990

DOCTORS EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES

* *

WITH THE TRAINING AND REGISTERED DOCTORS IN HONG KONG

CONTINUING

EDUCATION THAT IS GIVEN, SHOULD HAVE NO DIFFICULTY IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF THE MAJORITY OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE PATIENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE. THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG, MRS WONG SAID AS REGARDS THE LESS COMMON OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES, PROMPT DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH CONSULTATION AND APPROPRIATE REFERRAL.

PROFESSIONAL

"UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE SHOULD BE NO DELAY IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES, SHE SAID.

"I

ANY I'I'

MRS WONG EXPLAINED THAT "OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE" REFERRED TO DISEASE WHICH HAD RESULTED FROM WORK IN A PARTICULAR OCCUPATION. MIGHT APPEAR IN THE FORM OF RESPIRATORY DISEASE, BLOOD DISEASE OR DISEASE OF THE SKIN, KYK OR BONE.

L

'KNOWLEDGE OF

OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE 13 ACQUIRED BY MEDICAL

STUDENTS DURING THEIR BASIC MEDICAL EDUCATION.

"THEY ARE TRAINED IN THE CLINICAL ASPECTS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES UNDER THE RELEVANT SPECIALTIES DURING THEIR FIVE-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE COURSE AND THEIR ONE-YEAR INTERNSHIP," MRS WONG SAID.

AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING IN COMMUNITY MEDICINE, MEDICAL STUDENTS UNDERWENT A STRUCTURED COURSE ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE, SHE SAID.

"THIS COURSE CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF LECTURES AND TUTORIALS CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD. PROJECTS AND VISITS TO MAJOR

INDUSTRIES ARE ALSO INCLUDED.

THEIR BE

"TRAINING IN OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE RECEIVED BY MEDICAL STUDENTS IN HONG KONG IS SIMILAR TO THAT PROVIDED ΤΟ COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER ADVANCED COUNTRIES AND IS CONSIDERED ADEQUATE AND SATISFACTORY, SHE SAID.

"

סיו'

AS PART OF AN ON-GOING AND CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT REGISTERED DOCTORS WERE, IN GENERAL, ABLE TO UPDATE THEMSELVES IN ADVANCES IN THE PRACTICE OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE INCLUDING THE IDENTIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES RY REFERENCE TO MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS AND THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS, REFRESHER COURSES. SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS.

/"IN ADDITION,

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