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Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-Wah and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (May 21):
Question:
Regarding people who have contracted atypical pneumonia in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has maintained contact with atypical pneumonia patients who have recovered, so as to keep track of their conditions; if so, of the duration such contacts will be maintained;
(b) whether it has provided psychological counselling for the above patients or followed up their conditions such as their emotional changes; if so, of the details; and
(c) of the assistance provided to the families of atypical pneumonia patients who have recovered or died, as well as the number of requests received so far for such assistance and their details?
Reply:
The Government is fully committed to providing support for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) patients and their families. As regards the specific questions raised -
(a) All discharged patients will be followed up in designated SARS out-patient clinics run by hospitals treating SARS patients. Their functional and psychological progress will be regularly monitored. They will be screened through a standardised questionnaire for need of pulmonary rehabilitation and psychosocial rehabilitation.
(b) Psychosocial and other forms of support are being provided, during hospitalisation and following discharge, to SARS patients (including those who have recovered) and their families by medical social workers of the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD), with backup from family service centres and clinical psychologists.
It includes psychological counselling and assistance to help them overcome fears and anxieties; serving as a link between patients in hospitals and family members, many of whom are under confinement; reassurance through various forms of assistance, including financial, accommodation and child care support; and other tangible support.
In order to provide more comprehensive psychosocial care to discharged SARS patients as well as families of discharged or deceased SARS patients, post-traumatic stress debriefing, bereavement counselling, self-management courses and support groups have been set up by social workers and health care professionals. In addition, HA has joined the Centre of Behavioural Health in conducting a study project on families of children with SARS as well as children of patients with SARS.
(c) Assistance, physical and psychosocial, has been provided to families of SARS patients who have recovered (during hospitalisation and following discharge) or have died.
Welfare support
Tangible assistance is provided in the form of the following -
(1) support for household contacts of confirmed or suspected SARS patients undergoing confinement - if required, in the form of delivery of meals, provision of daily necessities, child care arrangements, emergency financial assistance, and psychological support, intervention and psychotherapy through the use of telephone hotlines. By May 16, 2003, 826 persons in 319 households had been served by SWD;
(2) support for children or elders without adequate support upon hospitalisation of their carers - re-opening the Wai Yee Hostel to provide transitional residential placement. By May 16, 2003, seven children and two adults had received residential care at the Hostel;
(3) discharge arrangements for patients who are capable of self-care but who for various reasons (e.g. psychological reasons, crowded living environment) are unable to return home upon discharge - temporary residence at the Cheung Muk Tau Holiday Centre for the Elderly. By May 16, 2003, nine discharged SARS patients had used the Centre;
(4) individualised counselling and other services for discharged SARS patients and their families requiring assistance - see (b) for details;
(5) grief counselling to family members of deceased SARS patients requiring assistance - see (b) for details. By May 16, 2003, amongst those families served, six had been referred to clinical psychologists for treatment; and
(6) various telephone hotlines (also accessible to SARS patients and their families) for offering advice, rendering support and providing psychological counselling. By May 16, 2003, 153 calls had been handled by SWD's clinical psychologist hotlines; and over 10,000 calls relating to SARS had been received through other hotlines operated by SWD and non-governmental organisations.
Financial Assistance
SWD provides financial assistance out of public funds, and helps administer certain schemes funded by community donations.
The "Emergency Financial Assistance Scheme for Prevention of the Spread of SARS" offers prompt financial assistance to persons who are identified to be close contacts of SARS patients and who are put under confinement. By May 16, 2003, 658 cases involving $552,000 had been approved. Emergency financial assistance in the form of cash grants for living expenses and grants to meet burial expenses has also been provided to SARS patients and their families. By May 16, 2003, 21 applications for cash grants for living expenses totalling $115,000 and 48 applications for burial grants totalling $487,000 had been approved.
SWD helps administer the "Business Community Relief Fund for Victims of SARS", which provides short-term grants to families of discharged SARS patients and gratuity payments to families of the deceased. As at May 16, 2003, 313 applications (250 applications for short-term grants and 63 applications for gratuity payments) involving $9 million had been approved. Other schemes include the "We Care Education Fund" which provides for the long-term education of the children of deceased SARS patients; and the "Project Blossom" which offers a maximum of one-year educational grant to children of recovered or deceased SARS patients.
End/Wednesday, May 21, 2003
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