XN000022-1990-05-09 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1990

"ELDERLY RECIPIENTS OF SOCIAL SECURITY ARE, IN FACT, DRAWING ON AVERAGE A LEVEL OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPROACHING FOUR TIMES THAT OF THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE, AND SOME COULD BE DRAWING A SUM UP TO SIX TIMES HIGHER, DEPENDING ON NEED,' SHE POINTED OUT.

T

THE SECRETARY SAID THAT THERE REMAINED IN OUR COMMUNITY A TRADITIONAL RESPECT FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE AND THIS WAS COMMENDABLE.

"WE SHALL CONTINUE WITH OUR ENDEAVOURS TO PROMOTE THE WELL- BEING OF ELDERLY PEOPLE TO ASSIST THEM TO GROW OLD WITH DIGNITY IN THE COMMUNITY, MRS WONG SAID.

I

HK CAN TAKE PRIDE IN HEALTH INDICES

HONG KONG CAN JUSTIFIABLY TAKE PRIDE IN THE HEALTH INDICES WHICH ARE UNEQUIVOCALLY THE BEST BY, WORLD STANDARDS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MRS WONG SAID THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE WAS 6.9 PER THOUSAND LIVE BIRTHS MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE 0.06 PER THOUSAND TOTAL BIRTHS.

IN 1989 AND THE

"BOTH RATES ARE LOWER THAN MANY ADVANCED COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE USA AND THE UK. THE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HONG KONG IS 74 FOR MALE AND 80 FOR FEMALE WHICH IS HIGHER THAN IN MANY ADVANCED COUNTRIES, SHE NOTED.

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"OUR SUCCESS IN THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND THE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES INCLUDING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH AND IMMUNISATION HAVE NO DOUBT MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS ΤΟ THESE ACHIEVEMENTS, WHICH HAVE ALSO BEEN HIGHLY COMMENDED BY THE TWO W.H.O. CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE RECENTLY VISITED HONG KONG TO REVIEW PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES, SHE ADDED.

MRS WONG SAID SHE WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE RICHNESS IN THE DIVERSITY OF VIEWS EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM HAD SUPPORTED INCREASES IN EXPENDITURE ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES BUT HAD CAUTIONED THAT AN EQUITABLE BALANCE BE STRUCK BETWEEN HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.

NEW

OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, THE GOVERNMENT HAD BUILT SEVEN HOSPITALS AND EXTENDED THE CAPACITIES OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, PROVIDING SOME 25,500 HOSPITAL BEDS, WHICH REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF 9,000 BEDS OR 54 PER CENT OVER THAT IN 1970.

/"LAST YEAR

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