XN000022-1991-04-17 — Page 25

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991

MRS WONG SAID ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, SMOKING ACCOUNTED FOR 90 PER CENT OF ALL LUNG CANCER DEATHS, 25 PER CENT OF ALL CORONARY HEART DISEASE DEATHS AND 75 PER CENT OF ALL CHRONIC BRONCHITIS AND EMPHYSEMA CASES.

"THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN MAJOR STUDIES INTERNATIONALLY ON THE ADVERSE RFFECTS OF PASSIVF SMOKING ON HEALTH. THESE HAVE FOUND THAT PASSIVE SMOKING CAUSES HEALTH PROBLEMS IN NON-SMOKERS.

"HONOURABLE MEMBERS CAN SEE HERE REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES OF ROTTEN LUNGS AND CARCINOMA OF THE LUNGS PROTRUDING FROM THE BACK, SHE SAID.

+

MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT THE TOBACCO TAX PROPOSAL THOUGH NO DOUBT CONTROVERSIAL, WAS LESS SO THAN ITS DETRACTORS WOULD LIKE US BELIEVE, AND THAT NEVER BEFORE HAD A HONG KONG TAX PROPOSAL GAINED SUCH INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT.

SHE SAID CONGRATULATIONS ON HONG KONG'S COURAGEOUS, EXEMPLARY AND VISIONARY STAND POURED IN FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH, INCLUDING MAJOR HEALTH ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION; THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, LONDON; THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, EDINBURGH; THE INTERNATIONAL UNION AGAINST CANCER, SWITZERLAND; THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, SINGAPORE; AND FROM FAR AWAY PLACES LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF CANCER PREVENTION, KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE. SWEDEN.

MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT AIMED TO ACHIEVE HEALTH FOR ALL AND MAKE HONG KONG A "HEALTHY CITY”.

WE

"AS WE SEE THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE AND MOVE A STEP AT A TIME, NOW LOOK FORWARD TO THE 1990'S AS A DECADE FOR HONEST APPRAISAL OF WHERE WE STAND AND WHERE WE WISH TO GO.

"NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE HOSTING THE WORLD HEALTH REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE WESTFRN PACIFIC.

ORGANISATION

"WE

MUST CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT WE ARE WORTHY OF THIS

STATUS,

**

SHE SAID.

ON HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE AREA OF HEALTH IN RECENT YEARS, MRS WONG SAID THE TERRITORY HAD SEEN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS AND REMARKABLE INCREASES BOTH IN EXPENDITURE AND IN EXPECTATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

THAT

MAINTAINING

AND

THAT HEALTH FOR ALL UNDERPINNED SOCIAL EQUITY. GOOD HEALTH OF ANY COMMUNITY WAS IMPORTANT BOTH ΤΟ ITS PRODUCTIVITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY, SHE SAID HONG KONG'S HEALTH SYSTEM MUST BE ACCEPTABLE BOTH TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO THE COMMUNITY, AND MUST BE ACCESSIBLE, EQUITABLE, EFFECTIVE AND AT A COST THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD AFFORD.

"IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE OVERALL EXPENDITURE ROSE FROM $5 BILLION TO $12.2 BILLION, REPRESENTING A COMPOUND RATE OF INCREASE OF ABOUT 25 PER CENT PER ANNUM.

RESEARCH,

"THERE HAVE BEEN DRAMATIC TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN SERVICES, AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS IN MEDICAL ESPECIALLY RESEARCH IN CANCER.

/"TO QUOTE