XN000022-1996-10-07 — Page 2

Efforts to promote healthy lifestyle stepped up

The Government aims to complete by 1998 a comprehensive review of the health care system to address the problem of escalating medical costs and to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness of the system, the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, informed the Health Services Panel of the Legislative Council this (Monday) afternoon.

Elaborating on the health policy initiatives for the year ahead, the Secretary spelt out the three objectives of the review:

examine the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary health care to strike an appropriate balance;

review the respective roles of the public and private sectors in the provision of health care services, and the interface between them; and

study options for financing Hong Kong's health care services, including the introduction of medical insurance and savings schemes.

She assured members of the Panel that regular reports would be made to keep them informed of progress on this matter.

On the preventive front, Mrs Fok noted that the Government had embarked on an ambitious programme for school children to prevent disease and promote a healthy lifestyle.

The Student Health Service has been extended to cover some 450,000 primary school students since September last year, and the School Dental Care Service to provide over 380,000 primary school children with annual dental check-ups.

On AIDS, an Education and Resource Centre will be open towards the end of 1996 and the Government will organise the territory's first AIDS Conference with the Advisory Council on AIDS in November.

Mrs Fok also noted that the Government was on target to complete the construction of North District Hospital and Tseung Kwan O Hospital by mid-1997 and mid-1999 respectively. Planning and design for the final phase of the Castle Peak Hospital redevelopment project is progressing well, she added.