XN000022-1992-04-01 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1992

WELFARE FROM $8.2

CITING STATISTICS, SHE SAID EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH AND SERVICES HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS BILLION IN 1987-88 TO $18.4 BILLION IN 1991-92.

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42 PER 9.2

IN REAL TERMS, THIS REPRESENTS AN OVERALL INCREASE OF OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD OR AN AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF PER CENT PER ANNUM.

CENT

FOR 1992-93, A SUM OF $22.56 BILLION HAS BEEN SOUGHT BILLION OR 23 PER CENT FROM LAST YEAR'S REVISED ESTIMATE.

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"THIS WOULD ENABLE US TO CONTINUE WITH THE SIGNIFICANT SUSTAINED OVER THE YEARS AND ACHIEVE THE GOALS WE HAVE SET COMING YEAR, SHE SAID..

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UP $4.16

GROWTH FOR THE

INCLUSION EXPENDITURE FOR

MRS WONG ALSO CLARIFIED A MISUNDERSTANDING OVER THE THE ONCOST FOR STAFF UNDER THE MEDICAL SERVICES 1992-93.

OF

SHE EXPLAINED THAT THE COST OF STAFF WORKING IN SYSTEM MUST BE PART OF THE COST OF THE SERVICE.

THE HOSPITAL

"THEY ARE COSTS WHICH WE CANNOT PRETEND NOT TO EXIST. INCREASE IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS STILL 9.4 PER CENT AS I AT THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE," SHE ADDED.

THE REAL REPORTED

OF THE

TURNING TO CALLS FOR BETTER SUPERVISION AND SCRUTINY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY'S (HA) OPERATIONS AND EXPENDITURE, SHE SAID THE LAW PROVIDED THE HA WITH AUTONOMY IN OPERATION AND FLEXIBILITY IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR EXTENSIVE MONITORING OF HA'S AND ACTIVITIES AT VARIOUS LEVELS AND BY DIFFERENT MEANS.

PARTICIPATION

EXPENDITURE

MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTS PANELS,

IN FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE PUBLIC EXAMINATION BY THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT, SCRUTINY BY THE PUBLIC COMMITTEE, REGULAR CHECKS BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND ITS AS WELL AS MONITORING BY A FREE AND LIVELY PRESS.

"THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IS CLEARLY UNDER CLOSE SCRUTINY AT BOTH THE MICRO AND MACRO LEVELS.

"I SUGGEST LET IT GET ON WITH ITS MISSION. US GIVE IT TIME TO PROVE IT WORTH," SHE SAID.

AND I SUGGEST LET

A PILOT ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE REFORMS, MRS WONG NOTED THAT DISTRICT HEALTH SYSTEM HAS BEEN INAUGURATED IN KWUN TONG ENTAILING THE INTRODUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL RECORDS IN 20 GENERAL OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT CLINICS, AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR CHRONIC PATIENTS IN CLINICS, HEALTH EDUCATION TALKS ON CHRONIC DISEASES IN 36 CLINICS, AND DRUG LABELLING IN VIRTUALLY ALL CLINICS.

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/IN ADDITION