XN000022-1990-05-09 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1990

"LAST YEAR, ABOUT 650,000 PATIENTS WERE TREATED IN OUR PUBLIC HOSPITALS. THESE FIGURES ARE AGAIN IMPRESSIVE, AS THIS MEANS IN EFFECT WE TREAT TWO-AND-A-HALF TIMES MORE PATIENTS COMPARED WITH TWO DECADES AGO.

"WE HAVE ALSO INTRODUCED NEW SPECIALIST SERVICES AND SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY TREATMENT MODALITIES IN MANY AREAS TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF COMPLEX MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND THE RISING ASPIRATIONS FROM BOTH THE PROFESSIONALS AND THE COMMUNITY," MRS WONG SAID.

"IN FACT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL SERVICE AT MINIMAL EXPENSE TO THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY, AND AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE DEVELOPED MANY SPECIALIST CLINICAL SERVICES TO A LEVEL OF INTERNATIONAL STANDING, SHE ADDED.

"WE HAVE

ALSO BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A DEDICATED AND LARGELY ENTHUSIASTIC AND EFFICIENT STAFF WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. WE HAVE INCREASED THE LEVELS OF BOTH LOCAL AND OVERSEAS TRAINING FOR OUR DOCTORS, NURSES AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, WHOSE WORK PERFORMANCE COMMANDS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION AND RESPECT, THE SECRETARY SAID.

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YEARS, WE

"NOTWITHSTANDING OUR MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE PAST ARE POISED TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS WITH RENEWED ENERGY AND VISION TO ACCOMPLISH IMPORTANT REFORM MEASURES, SHE ADDED.

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HEALTH CARE WAS

MRS WONG SAID A WORKING PARTY ON PRIMARY CURRENTLY EXAMINING MANY ISSUES TO ENABLE THE ADMINISTRATION TO

NEEDS OF HONG KONG INTO THE 1990'S AND BEYOND.

THE

MEET

"A SHIFT IN EMPHASIS AND ATTENTION TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IS IN LINE WITH THE WORLD TREND. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAS DECLARED THAT PRIORITY HEALTH CARE IS THE KEY TO ACHIEVING HEALTH FOR ALL BY THE YEAR 2000," SHE SAID.

"MANY OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES ARE RE-EXAMINING THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVISIONS IN THE LIGHT OF SOARING COSTS ARISING FROM EXPENSIVE, HIGHLY SPECIALISED AND HOSPITAL-BASED SERVICES, IN

AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE PREVENTIVE CARE, SHE ADDED.

SHE NOTED THAT THE REVIEW HAD COME AT THE RIGHT TIME AND WOULD HELP то COMPLEMENT THE MAJOR REFORM MEASURES PLANNED FOR HOSPITAL SERVICES THROUGH THE PROPOSED SETTING UP OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.

"HOWEVER, A GOOD PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS NO PANACEA то THE PROBLEMS OF FINANCING PUBLIC MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, THE COSTS OF WHICH ARE LIKELY TO RISE DRAMATICALLY IN THE YEARS TO COME.

MEDICAL

"NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING WILL HAVE TO BE FOUND AND REFERENCES HAVE BEEN MADE DURING THIS DEBATE TO THE 'USER-PAYER' CONCEPT, INSURANCE, AND SOME FORM OF CONTRIBUTORY SCHEMES, SHE SAID.

/MRS WONG