ENG-1993 — Page 192

HEALTH

With no cure for AIDS and no effective vaccine against infection, HIV continues to pose a serious threat.

In 1993, 79 cases of HIV infection were reported, an increase of 11 per cent compared with the previous year. This brought to 416 the total number of such cases reported since the beginning of the surveillance programme in April 1985. Nineteen new patients with AIDS were reported in 1993, giving a cumulative total of 92 patients, of whom 63 have died.

In April, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved the allocation of $350 million to set up a special fund to provide assistance to those infected with HIV, through transfusion of blood or blood products in Hong Kong prior to August 1985. This manifested the government's commitment to respond with speed and compassion to those in need. The AIDS Trust Fund is administered by a council which is appointed by the Governor. The council also gives support to projects which augment the medical and support services provided by the government, and to publicity and public education which aim to enhance awareness of AIDS prevention and to remove discrimination against HIV-infected persons.

The Advisory Council on AIDS also plays a key role. The council operates through three committees the Committee on Education and Publicity on AIDS, the Scientific Committee on AIDS and the AIDS Services Development Committee. The Committee on Education and Publicity on AIDS helps to promote community involvement in AIDS education; sustain public awareness; co-ordinate the training of intermediaries to provide education and counselling; foster support towards HIV-infected individuals; and co-ordinate activities for target groups such as students, youth, drug abusers, and others practising high-risk behaviour. To achieve these objectives, working groups have been formed under the committee. The Scientific Committee on AIDS is concerned with the technical aspects of the AIDS programme. It concentrates on the production of comprehensive guidelines for the prevention of HIV transmission in health care settings, oversees HIV surveillance programmes, undertakes quality assurance programmes on HIV antibody testing and carries out studies and scientific research projects. The AIDS Services Development Committee was established in 1993 to advise the government on the development of clinical and support services for HIV-infected individuals. Secre- tarial and operational support to the three committees is provided by the Department of Health.

The department's AIDS Unit provides counselling and medical consultation for persons at risk of HIV infection. Members of the public can use a special telephone hotline (780 2211) to obtain advice in confidence. This service was upgraded by the incorporation of an interactive voice-processing system in April. Other hotlines using pre-recorded messages in Putonghua, Thai, Tagalog and Vietnamese languages became operational in July.

The AIDS Unit regularly arranges talks, exhibitions, seminars and other educational programmes for community groups. Blood tests may be arranged under conditions of complete anonymity. Publicity materials, notably television advertisements, were produced with the support of the Information Services Department.

The Hong Kong AIDS Foundation and AIDS Concern are two non-government organisations which supplement and complement the government's efforts. Activities include counselling, publicity and education, as well as patient support services.

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