XN000022-1990-08-22 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1990

SHW SPEAKS ON

'HEALTH TRINITY"

PUBLIC SPENDING ON TOTAL HEALTH CARE CAN ACHIEVE A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN PREVENTION AND CURE WITH REFORMS DIRECTED TOWARDS PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID THIS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING.

"WHILST WE ARE PROUD OF OUR HEALTH INDICES, WHICH CAN COMPETE WITH THOSE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD, I AM CONVINCED THAT GIVEN A GOOD INFRASTRUCTURAL SUPPORT IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, OUR COMMUNITY WILL BECOME EVEN HEALTHIER AND OUR HOSPITALS LESS CROWDED.'

11

MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT THE WORKING PARTY ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PROFESSOR ROSIE YOUNG, WOULD BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ITS DELIBERATIONS ON LAUNCHING A NEW IMPETUS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

HEALTH

HEALTH

"WITH OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS AND ENHANCE OUR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES, I AM DELIGHTED то NOTE THAT THE WORLD ORGANISATION HAS DECLARED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TO BE THE KEY TO ACHIEVING HEALTH FOR ALL BY THE YEAR 2000.

++

*HONG KONG IS CLEARLY TAKING A STEP IN THE RIGHT SHE POINTED OUT.

Fr

DIRECTION,

MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT

SPEAKING AT THE 12TH ANNUAL HEPATO-BILIARY PANCREATIC ASSOCIATION, WAS IN PURSUIT OF MAJOR REFORMS BY A THREE-PRONGED OR TRIPARTITE APPROACH: THROUGH THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY; THROUGH PRIMARY HEALTH CARE; AND THROUGH THE ACADEMY OF MEDICINE.

SHE DESCRIBED THIS AS THE "HEALTH

TRINITY" AND TALKED ABOUT

THE OTHER TWO AREAS OF REFORM.

*WITH THE SETTING UP OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY UNDER LEGISLATION, WE AIM TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE OF OPTIMISING THE USE OF RESOURCES, OF LIFTING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE, WHICH IS IN ITSELF FREE, TO PROVIDE BETTER CHOICE TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE TO SATISFY RISING COMMUNITY ASPIRATIONS.

"WE ARE ABOUT TO APPOINT THREE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS TO HEAD THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY AND WE WILL HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE AROUND FOR THIS MAJOR REFORM MEASURE, SHE SAID.

TURNING TO THE ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE REFORMS ENVISAGED FOR HOSPITAL SERVICES AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, THERE WAS AN INCREASING AND PRESSING NEED FOR GREATER SPECIALISATION.

UNDER THE

"RIGHT NOW, A PREPARATORY COMMITTEE PROFESSOR DAVID TODD IS HARD AT WORK PLANNING FOR THE OF THE ACADEMY OF MEDICINE.

LEADERSHIP

ESTABLISHMENT

OF

/"THIS WILL