SHWF visits Kwai Tsing District (with photos)
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    The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, today (August 4) met service users of a number of facilities in Kwai Tsing District to listen to their views and suggestions on services provided under his portfolio.

     Accompanied by the District Officer (Kwai Tsing), Mr Allan Chow, Dr Chow first arrived at the Tsing Yi Community Health Centre, which is a resource centre equipped with health assessment equipment and home exercisers to promote regular exercise and health checks. Dr Chow toured around the centre and encouraged service users to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

     Noting that the centre had secured funding support from the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) for a three-year project for the Safe and Healthy Estate in Cheung Ching, Dr Chow was pleased to see mutual help groups and service networks had steadily taken root, which was conducive to creating an inclusive and harmonious community.

     He then went to the New Life Restaurant at Tsing Yi Swimming Pool to see for himself the catering services provided by trainees of the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Society. He chatted with staff of ex-mental patients working there and was glad to see them manage to integrate into the society.

     The Lai Yiu Estate was Dr Chow's next stop where he visited the home of elderly Mr Leung, who lives alone. Dr Chow took the opportunity to listen to Mr Leung's views on home care services for the elderly.

     Dr Chow pointed out that to help old people grow old in their own homes, the elderly, including those who did not have long-term care needs, were provided with heavily subsidised and non-means-tested home-based and centre-based community care and support services.

     The Financial Secretary has earmarked $20 million recurrent funding for 2006-07 for the Social Welfare Department to strengthen home care services for the elderly with a view to generating additional service capacity gradually this financial year.

     Before concluding the district visit, Dr Chow met with Kwai Tsing District councillors to exchange views on major issues relating to his policy portfolio.

Ends/Friday, August 4, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:24

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