XN000022-1994-11-02 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1994

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MOTION DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE POLICY: SHW

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FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS KATHERINE FOK, IN MOTION DEBATE ON HEALTH CARE POLICY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

MR PRESIDENT,

I AM GRATEFUL TO MEMBERS FOR THEIR LIVELY INTEREST IN THIS VERY

AREA. IMPORTANT

ON I STRESSED LAST WEEK IN THE RESUMED DEBATE

THE MOTION OF THANKS THAT PREVENTION OF DISEASE WAS A PRIORITY ITEM ON THE HEALTH AGENDA. I POINTED OUT ALSO THAT THIS IS A CENTRAL THEME IN MY POLICY COMMITMENTS AND I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT VARIOUS MEMBERS AGREE WITH ME. THE HONOURABLE FUNG KIN-KEE MENTIONED THIS IN HIS ADDRESS. MISS CHRISTINE LOH ALSO MENTIONED THIS IN HER DEBATE AND VARIOUS OTHER MEMBERS ALSO EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION OF DISEASE AS A PRIORITY ITEM ALSO ON THEIR HEALTH. AGENDA. VARIOUS OTHER MEMBERS ALSO

TO REFERRED

THE

BY DEFINITION OF IDEAL HEALTH PROVIDED

THE WORLD WE HEALTH ORGANISATION. HERE MY AIM AND THEIRS ARE THE SAME: THAT IS WORK TOWARDS "A STATE OF COMPLETE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELL- BEING, NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF DISEASE OR INFIRMITY". VARIOUS MEMBERS REFER TO OUR PAST HISTORY OF PREVENTION AND DISEASE AND DISEASE

SAMUEL PREVENTION AND VARIOUS MEMBERS SUCH AS THE HONOURABLE WONG, THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, ALSO AGREED THAT IN THE PAST WE HAVE MADE VERY REMARKABLE PROGRESS AND OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE ALL THE BASIC DETERMINING FACTORS FOR HEALTH, NAMELY THINGS SUCH AS ADEQUATE SHELTER, NUTRITIOUS FOOD, EDUCATION, WIDESPREAD ACCESS. TO HEALTH PROGRAMMES INCLUDING IMMUNISATION, AND FAMILY PLANNING.

GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING AND IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IS ENSHRINED IN ITS EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE POLICY WHICH PLACES INCREASING EMPHASIS ON HEALTH PROMOTION, PREVENTION

HEALTH OF DISEASE AND DISABILITY AND PRIMARY

THE EFFECTIVE MEANS TO ACHIEVE

MAXIMUM BENEFITS FOR

AS THE

CARE HEALTH.

MEMBERS MAY REMEMBER THAT IN 1989, WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF THE WORKING PARTY ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND THE SUBSEQUENT ENDORSEMENT OF

RECOMMENDATIONS, THIS REFLECTED ITS 102

QUITE CLEARLY THE ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS

HEALTH CARE POLICY DIRECTIVES TOWARDS THESE GOALS.

IN

IMPLEMENTING ITS

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