ENG-2015 — Page 350

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The Media, Communications and Information Technology

connect electronic medical/patient record and health information systems available in the market to the sharing platform; and formulate a legal framework to protect system security and data privacy. These three targets have been completed and the eHR Sharing System is scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2016.

• Government cloud platform: The government continues to develop common e-government services on its cloud platform for shared use by government departments.

• Electronic Procurement: Government departments use cloud-enabled electronic procurement to enhance efficiency by automating and integrating processes. Suppliers also reap the benefits of shorter transaction turnaround times and greater business opportunities.

Pay e-Cheque portal: To tie in with the introduction of e-cheques in December 2015, the government launched a Pay e-Cheque portal enabling the public to pay government bills and fees by e-cheque.

Digital Inclusion

The government implements a digital inclusion programme to help needy groups adopt technologies to enhance their quality of life and integrate with society, with targeted measures for students from low-income families, people with disabilities and the elderly.

Internet Learning Support Programme

The programme continues to help low-income families acquire affordable computers and internet access services to support their children in internet learning. About 82,000 services. were provided to some 9,000 families in the 2014-15 school year.

Promoting ICT Adoption among People with Disabilities and the Elderly

To help people with disabilities access online information and services, the government continued to raise awareness of and encourage accessible web design. About 150 organisations were commended in 2015 for making their websites and mobile apps accessible.

The ICT Outreach Programmes for Elderly has reached out to more than 1,300 elderly to encourage ICT use in their daily lives.

Supporting Underprivileged Groups

Twelve mobile apps that suit the needs of various underprivileged groups were made available for free use. A new round of a funding scheme was launched to develop more mobile apps to empower more needy groups through technology.

Enriched IT Programme in Secondary Schools

The government launched an Enriched IT Programme in 2015 with an aim to cultivate IT talent early in their secondary school years. Eight partner schools began running an Enriched IT Class from Secondary 2 in 2015-16. The programme also provided funding support for local

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