XN000022-1991-07-12 — Page 15

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FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1991

"DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE SERVICES, HONG KONG IS LAGGING BEHIND IN ADOPTING A MODERN

OF CONCEPT

HEALTH DELIVERY AS ADVOCATED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO),"

F

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ON THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, DR LEE SAJD IT WAS VERY MUCH HOSPITAL-ORIENTED AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS ON QUALITY SERVICES, CONTINUITY OF CARE, PREVENTIVE AND PROMOTIVE SERVICES AND INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

"NEW APPROACHES AND EMPHASIS ARE NECESSARY TO MEET THE PRESENT- DAY HEALTH CARE NEEDS.

PHC IN BY THE AND HEALTH

"THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE WORKING PARTY ON ITS REPORT ARE BASED ON THE WHO'S CONCEPT OF 'HEALTH FOR ALL YEAR 2000' WITH SPECIFIC PMPHASIS ON DISEASE PREVENTION PROMOTION," HE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR THEN NOTED THAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS INITIATED BY THE WORKING PARTY WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES WHICH WERE PROVIDED ΤΟ PATIENTS IN THEIR HOME

ENVIRONMENT.

THE SERVICES, INCLUDING COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE AND COMMUNITY REHABILITATIVE SERVICE, HELPED ΤΟ KEEP PATIENTS OUT OF HOSPITALS AND ENCOURAGE AMBULATORY CARE, HE SAID.

"AN INTEGRATED APPROACH WOULD BE ADOPTED THROUGH CO-OPERATION OF ALL CONCERNED SECTORS INCLUDING PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, HOSPITAL, SOCIAL WELFARE, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT, DR LEE SAID.

Pr

"AND THE PARTICIPATION OF COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROVIDING WHOLE-PERSON CARE TO THE PATIENT,

IMPORTANT

THIS CONCEPT OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY IS ESPECIALLY IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED WHEREBY THE INPUT FROM FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY ARE ESSENTIAL IN RE-INTEGRATING THEM BACK TO THE FAMILY AND THE SOCIETY."

DR LEE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANT ROLE NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PLAYED IN PROVIDING HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY, NOTING THAT THEY WERE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN THE GOVERNMENT TO TRY AND INTRODUCE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES IN HEALTH CARE.

"OUR TOTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM WILL NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT THEIR PARTICIPATION," HE SAID.

"IN THE FUTURE DISTRICT HEALTH SYSTEM, STRONG EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON TEAM APPROACH, MULTI-SECTORAL CO-ORDINATION AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

"

OUR AIM, HE SAID, WAS ΤΟ ACHIEVE BETTER INTEGRATION AND

CO-ORDINATION OF VARIOUS SECTORS TO PROVIDE QUALITY COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT.

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