XN000022-1992-02-27 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1992

SOCIAL AND

ALSO ATTENDING THE SESSION WERE THE DIRECTOR OF WELFARE, MRS ROSE GOODSTADT; THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, DR S.H. LEE; THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, DR E.K. YEOH.

SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO SPEND $17.9 BILLION IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IN THE HEALTH AND WELFARE AREAS IN 1992-93.

THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $1,601 MILLION FOR HEALTH AND $223.6 MILLION FOR WELFARE OVER THEIR RESPECTIVE REVISED ESTIMATES FOR 1991-92.

"THIS IS INDEED A WELCOME AND · ENCOURAGING INCREASE. IT WILL ENABLE ME TO FULFUL. MY POLICY OBJECTIVES IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR," SHE SAID.

ON THE WELFARE SIDE, A TOTAL OF $6.144 BILLION HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN 1992-93, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF S625 MILLION OVER THE APPROVED ESTIMATES AND $170 MILLION OVER THE REVISED ESTIMATES FOR 1991-92.

FORTHERMORE, A TOTAL OF $14. 3 MILLION, WITH A FULL-YEAR EXTENSION COST OF $89 MILLION, HAS BREN ALLOCATED FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES.

THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WILL BA USED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1990S AND BEYOND; TO MEET GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT ΤΟ SOCIAL SECURITY, INCLUDING THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN CASELOAD AND REVISION OF RATES OF PAYMENT IN LINE WITH INFLATION; AND TO CONTINUE THE GROWTH IN PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR FAMILIES, ELDERLY PERSONS AND THE DISABLED.

PROVISION HAS ALSO BEEN MADE FOR THE NEW HONG KONG WAR MEMORIAL PENSION SCHEME UNDER WHICH, 568 WAR VETERANS AND EX-PRISONERS OF WAR ARE NOW RECEIVING PENSIONS.

AS REGARDS REHABILITATION SERVICES, THE SECRETARY SAID THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM HAD BEEN REVIEWED COMPREHENSIVELY IN THE GREEN PAPER ON REHABILITATION WHICH IS DUE FOR RELEASE FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON MARCH 11 THIS YEAR.

"IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC RESPONSE TO PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE GREEN PAPER, THE GOVERNMENT WILI FORMULATE A LONG-TERM STRATEGY IN THE FORM OF A WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT REHABILITATION SERVICES, " MRS WONG SAID,

OF

TURNING TO THE HEALTH ASPECT, MRS WONG SAID A SUM OF $1.4 BILLION HAD BEEN SOUGHT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WHICH WAS $149 MILLION UP OVER THE APPROVED ESTIMATES AND $30 MILLION UP OVER THE REVISED ESTIMATES FOR LAST YEAR.

THE INCREASE WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND ORAL HEALTH CARE WHICH ARE ΤΟ

IMPLEMENTED IN PHASES.

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SHE CONSIDERED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND ORAL ESSENTIALLY PROMOTIVE AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES.

HEALTH CARE AS

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