XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 32

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

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THE

GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO REDUCE THE MORTALITY RATE OF THE LARGEST GROUP OF HEART PATIENTS BY 20 PER CENT. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, IMPROVED METHODS OF TREATMENT WOULD BE PROVIDED OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS FOR 200 ADDITIONAL PATIENTS A YEAR WITH ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE.

IT WAS PLANNED TO REDUCE THE MORTALITY RATE OF DIABETIC PATIENTS BY 10 PER CENT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, FOUR DIABETIC CARE CENTRES WOULD BE SET UP NEXT YEAR TO PROVIDE TREATMENT AND ADVICE TO 8,000 PATIENTS A YEAR.

HOSPICE SERVICES WOULD BE EXPANDED OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

A RESULT, BY 1998-99, AN EXTRA THOUSAND PATIENTS A YEAR WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE OUT THEIR TERMINAL ILLNESSES IN COMFORT AND DIGNITY.

MR PATTEN NOTED THAT HONG KONG OFFERED VIRTUALLY FREE ACCESS TO HOSPITAL SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE BUT IT HAD TO CONTINUE THE DRIVE TO RAISE STANDARDS FROM ACCEPTABLE TO EXCELLENT.

"OUR PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE ΤΟ THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER CHRONIC ILLNESS OR DISABILITY. THERE IS STILL AMPLE SCOPE FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT, HOWEVER, AND WE WILL NOT REST HERE, HE SAID.

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MORE AND BETTER HOUSING PLANNED

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL SPEND $15.4 BILLION THIS YEAR ON HOUSING PROGRAMMES, ABOUT 400 PER CENT MORE IN REAL TERMS THAN 10 YEARS AGO TO HOUSE THOSE IN NEED, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS ANNUAL POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, PATTEN SAID: "OUR CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT IN NEW HOUSING MEANS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO RAISE OUR SIGHTS WELL ABOVE THE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMES OF THE PAST."

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MR PATTEN NOTED THAT A TOTAL OF 1.2 MILLION PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FLATS HAD BEEN BUILT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO IMPROVE ITS PRESENT PROGRAMME IN THE COMING YEARS WITH THE FOLLOWING PLANS:

PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES MADE SAFER AND MORE PLEASANT. THIS YEAR, $3.3 BILLION IS PROPOSED TO BE SPENT TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, INCLUDING $433 MILLION ΤΟ REFURBISH AND RENOVATE THE OLDER PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES. ANOTHER $650 MILLION WOULD BE SPENT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS ON THE STAFF AND TECHNOLOGY TO KEEP CRIME AWAY FROM PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

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