XN000022-1991-07-03 — Page 3

2

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1991.

"THIS, I THINK, IS QUITE UNDERSTANDABLE," SHE SAID.

SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED Its RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFEGUARDING AND PROMOTING THE GENERAL HEALTH of THE COMMUNITY AND ITS FEE-CHARGING POLICY ON HEALTH SERVICES CONSISTENTLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THIS CARDINAL PRINCIPLE.

"THE FACT IS MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN GENERAL ARE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED BY PUBLIC FUNDS AND MANY OF OUR PREVENTIVE PROMOTIVE SERVICES ARE ABSOLUTELY FREE, SHE SAID.

FI

HAD

VERY

AND

AND

CITING A FEW EXAMPLES, MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH CARE, VACCINATION, IMMUNISATION, ATTENDANCE AT TB AND CHEST CLINICS, SOCIAL HYGIENE SERVICES, HEALTH EDUCATION WERE FRER AND FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES WERE CHARGED AT ONLY $1 PER VISIT.

"WE HAVE NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER TO WAVER IN OUR COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND TO PREVENT DISEASE, " SHE SAID.

MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT PREVENTIVE AND PROMOTIVE SERVICÊS APART, THE WORKING PARTY CONSIDERED IT NECESSARY TO REVIEW POLICY FOR FEE-CHARGING IN GENERAL OUT-PATIENT SERVICES.

SAID.

"CLEARLY,

THIS ISSUR MUST BE EXAMINED WITH GREAT

CARE, SHE

TO TAKE THIS FURTHER, MRS WONG SAID SHE INTENDED TO INITIATE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE POLICY ON FEES AND CHARGES ACROSS HEALTH AND WELFARE SERVICES.

ON THE CONCERN OVER THE PROPOSAL FOR COLLABORATION AND INTERFACE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, MRS WONG NOTED THAT SOME HAD INTERPRETED THIS AS AN ATTEMPT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO HIVE

OFF ITS SERVICES OR TO SHED ITS RESPONSIBILITIES.

"NOT SO! THE CALL IS FOR MORE INVOLVEMENT OF PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

"THE INVOLVEMENT IS COLLABORATIVE. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WILL BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE ASSURANCE OF GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT AND THE CALL FOR COLLABORATION ARE COMPATIBLE AND Not MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

"MORE OF THE ONE DOES NOT MEAN LESS OF THE OTHER! CLOSER CO- OPERATION MEANS A RECOGNITION OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, NOT OF SHEDDING OF RESPONSIBILITY," SHE SAID.

TURNING TO CONCERN OVER THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATUTORY PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY, MRS WONG NOTED THAT SOMB QUESTIONRD THE PROLIFERATION OF YET ANOTHER BODY OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT, MANY WORRIED ABOUT PROBLEMS OF CO-ORDINATION WHILE OTHERS SIMPLY WORRIED.

"A CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO THIS IS CLEARLY CALLED FOR," SHE SAID.

/ON THE