XN000022-1991-10-09 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1991

18

TOP PRIORITY IN DISCOURAGING SMOKING

ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PRIORITIES IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH IS THE CONTROL AND DISCOURAGEMENT OF SMOKING, THE GOVERNOR, SIR WILSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

"NEW LEGISLATION WILL BE INTRODUCED TO RESTRICT USE, SALE AND PROMOTION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS.

CARE

DAVID

FURTHER THE

"THIS WILL INVOLVE THE IMPOSITION OF A MAXIMUM TAR LIMIT; A STRONGER HEALTH WARNINGS; THE GREATER USE OF NO-SMOKING AREAS; AND CLEARER DEFINITION OF WHAT CONSTITUTES TOBACCO SPONSORSHIP," SIR DAVID SAID IN HIS ANNUAL POLICY ADDRESS.

WOULD

HE SAID THIS LEGISLATION WAS AMONG A SERIES OF LEGISLATIVE

IN THE HEALTH AND WELFARE FIELD THAT THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS PRESENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND HE HOPED THEY WOULD SUPPORT FROM MEMBERS.

WIN FULL

HE POINTED

IN OUT THAT MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS WERE UNDERWAY MEDICAL AND HEALTH SECTORS.

THE

"THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WAS FORMALLY ESTABLISHED ON DECEMBER LAST YEAR.

GOVERNMENT IT WILL TAKE OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF ALL SUBVENTED HOSPITALS ON DECEMBER 1 THIS YEAR.

1

AND

"THIS IMPORTANT REFORM WILL ENABLE US TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PATIENT CARE IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

"WITHIN A YEAR, ROWS OF CAMP BEDS IN OVERCROWDED WARDS WILL, I HOPE, BE A THING OF THE PAST," SIR DAVID SAID.

PAST, DAVID

NOTING THAT A MAJOR POLICY REVIEW HAD CONCLUDED THAT, NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION HAD BEEN PAID TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, SAID IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS AREA COULD WELL REDUCE OTHER EXPENDITURE IN THE LONGER TERM.

IN THE

SIR

MEDICAL

-

THE REVIEW'S MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED: INTRODUCING A NEW A STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE; IMPROVING SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE; DEVELOPING COMPUTERISED HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM; STRENGTHENING HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMES; AND INTRODUCING NEW SCREENING SERVICES FOR WOMEN AND THE ELDERLY.

FOR

IN THE WELFARE FIELD, SIR DAVID SAID THE COUNCIL WOULD BE ASKED TO CONSIDER MAJOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CHILD PROTECTION LEGISLATION.

"THESE WILL REDEFINE THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH CHILDREN

THE

AND THE PROTECTION OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE REQUIRE COURTS, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL POWERS OF INVESTIGATION,

"THEY WILL PREVENT PEOPLE WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY UNSUITABLE FROM TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILD-MINDING, HE SAID.

OF

THIS YEAR BEING THE FINAL YEAR OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE DISABLED PERSONS, SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG WOULD MARK THIS OCCASION WITH A GREEN PAPER SETTING OUT A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS TO HELP THE DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

/"OUR GOAL

: