XN000022-1991-04-24 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1991

HIGHLIGHTING THE THEMES AND UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES OF THE WORKING PARTY'S MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS, MRS WONG SAID: "FIRST, THE WORKING PARTY REAFFIRMS GOVERNMENT'S BELIEF IN THE NEED TO REDRESS THE IMBALANCE BETWEEN HOSPITAL CARE AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN HONG KONG'S HEALTH POLICY.

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"IT ALSO COMMENDS THE GOVERNMENT FOR ITS FIRM COMMITMENT TO THE CARDINAL PRINCIPLE OF EQUITY THAT NO ONE SHOULD BR PREVENTED, THROUGH LACK OF MEANS, FROM OBTAINING ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT, SHE SAID.

SALD MRS WONG,

THE NEED FOR COLLABORATION AND CO-ORDINATION, WAS ANOTHER RECURRING THEME. "THE WORKING PARTY HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, BETTER INTERFACE BETWEEN HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND CLOSER CO- ORDINATION AMONG VARIOUS PROVIDERS OF SERVICES," SHE ADDED.

UNDERLINING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CONCEPT OF PARTICIPATORY CARE, MRS WONG SAID THIS CALLED FOR PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, PROFESSIONALS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, ALL HAVING AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE HEALTH CARE PROCESS.

"WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANT CENTRAL ROLE OF THE PEOPLE.

"PARTICIPATORY CARE IS A SYSTEM OF CARE WHICH STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION BY THE INDIVIDUAL : IT LOOKS FOR REALISTIC IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMES; IT CALLS FOR THE UTMOST FLEXIBILITY OF AN INTEGRATED APPROACH AND IT REFLECTS THE NEED FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE, SHE SAID.

ON THE COST ELEMENT, MRS WONG SAID THE WORKING PARTY HAD NOT LOST SIGHT OF IT.

"IT

DEFINES PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AS ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY BUT AT A COST THE COMMUNITY CAN BEAR. INDEED, THE WORKING PARTY, IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS, HAS ADOPTED A PRACTICAL APPROACH.

MADE THAT ITS

"ON THE ONE HAND, PRAGMATISM DICTATES THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT OUR RESOURCE SITUATION BEFORE WE DECIDE ON THE MODALITIES OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE.

"ON

THE OTHER HAND, WE MUST HAVE REGARD TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTING IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SO AS TO BETTER RESPOND TO OUR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC NEEDS AND OPTIMISE AVAILABLE MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES," MRS WONG SAID.

SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE WORKING PARTY CALLED FOR CHANGES TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM, BUT ON A CAUTIOUS AND GRADUAL BASIS.

"THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED BY THE INITIATION OF PILOT SCHEMES IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS IN PHASES. THIS WILL LEAVE ROOM EVALUATION, ADJUSTMENT AND CONSOLIDATION," SHE SAID.

MRS WONG ALSO REFERRED TO THE DENTAL SUB-COMMITTEE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH HAD IN PARALLEL ORAL HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG.

AND

FOR

OF

THE REVIEWED

/IN THANKING