XN000022-1996-12-13 — Page 9

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"There is a great need to enhance our preventive, curative and palliative care to cope with this rising trend," the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, stressed at the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society this (Friday) evening.

Mrs Fok told the meeting that the Hospital Authority had designated cancer as a priority disease group for focused and co-ordinated action in the context of its annual planning exercise.

"Some new initiatives include a pilot radiosurgery programme using X knife. improved drugs for chemotherapy, and the addition of three new high dependency unit beds for paediatric patients requiring bone marrow transplants. The Authority has also undertaken to provide 40,000 additional cytology tests to enable more timely medial intervention," the Secretary said.

"In addition, the breast and cervical cancer screening programmes offered by the Department of Health's two women's health centres have been met with positive response and a third centre will be set up next year."

The Anti-Cancer Society also complements these efforts by reaching out to the community through its own screening programmes, hotline enquiry service and media promotion campaigns to strengthen public awareness of the common causes and prevention of cancer.

Mrs Fok paid tribute to the Society for playing a leading role through its professional expertise and international linkage in identifying risk factors, vulnerable groups and prognosis associated with different types of cancer.

On hospice care, Mrs Fok expressed hopes that with the completion of the Nam Long Hospital extension next year, the Society would continue to serve a major resource centre for the specialised training of healthcare personnel, and the promotion of mutual support among cancer patients.

End

Bill on assessment and collection of Govt rents gazetted

A Bill which seeks to provide for the payment arrangements for Government rents payable under Annex III to the Joint Declaration (JD), without imposing any new liability in addition to the JD requirements, is gazetted today (Friday).

A Government spokesman said that the Government Rent (Assessment and Collection) Bill merely sought to codify and standardise the method of assessment, collection and payment of these rents.