Improving primary health care

Hon LEE Wing-tat’s original motion: (Translation)

That the World Health Organization affirms in the Declaration of Alma-Ata on primary health care published in 1978 that the definition of health is not merely about the absence of diseases, but also refers to the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and primary health care seeks to attain the target of health for all; however, the health care system in Hong Kong at present is still based mainly on disease treatment and prevention, with a serious shortage of resources for primary health care work, and primary health care work is mainly confined to primary medical care, thereby failing to attain the target of promoting health for all; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to take measures to give effect to the Declaration of Alma-Ata, including:

(a) to comprehensively improve primary health care and allocate additional resources for primary health care;

(b) to set up a fund for promoting primary health care reform;

(c) to formulate a co-ordination mechanism to facilitate full co-operation between relevant government departments and local organizations in making improvements in areas such as labour, education, housing, public facilities and food safety, etc., so as to promote public health;

(d) focusing on various areas of health, to set ‘Healthy People 10-year Indicators’ and formulate work plans for individual health indicators;

(e) to promote a campaign on healthy community and, through community organizations and government departments, mobilize community members to take part in planning and improving primary medical care in their communities, and fully utilize community resources to promote residents’ health; and

(f) having regard to the health problems and needs of different population groups, such as elderly persons, women, men, working people, youth and children, to devise various strategies and services and increase resources allocation, with a view to enhancing health education and services for disease prevention and control.

Motion as amended by Dr Hon LEUNG Ka-lau: (Translation)

That the World Health Organization affirms in the Declaration of Alma-Ata on primary health care published in 1978 that the definition of health is not merely about the absence of diseases, but also refers to the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and primary health care seeks to attain the target of health for all; however, the health care system in Hong Kong at present is still based mainly on disease treatment and prevention, with a serious shortage of resources for primary health care work, and primary health care work is mainly confined to primary medical care, thereby failing to attain the target of promoting health for all; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to take measures to give effect to the Declaration of Alma-Ata, including:

(a) to comprehensively improve primary health care and allocate additional resources for primary health care;

(b) to set up a fund for promoting primary health care reform;

(c) to formulate a co-ordination mechanism to facilitate full co-operation between relevant government departments and local organizations in making improvements in areas such as labour, education, housing, public facilities and food safety, etc., so as to promote public health;

(d) focusing on various areas of health, to set ‘Healthy People 10-year Indicators’ and formulate work plans for individual health indicators;

(e) to promote a campaign on healthy community and, through community organizations and government departments, mobilize community members to take part in planning and improving primary medical care in their communities, and fully utilize community resources to promote residents’ health; and

(f) having regard to the health problems and needs of different population groups, such as elderly persons, women, men, working people, youth and children, to devise various strategies and services and increase resources allocation, with a view to enhancing health education and services for disease prevention and control;

(g) to promote public-private partnership and expand the existing health care voucher scheme, so as to assist the elderly and low-income earners in receiving better primary medical care; and

(h) to promote health screening programmes which have been medically proven to be effective, such as fecal occult blood test, etc.

Note: Dr Hon LEUNG Ka-lau’s amendment is marked in bold and italic type or with deletion line.