$1.4 billion more to fight SARS
The Legislative Council's Finance Committee today (July 18) approved additional funding of $1.4 billion to support the on-going fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and other infectious diseases.
Almost $410 million will be used to improve infectious disease facilities in nine acute public hospitals; $500 million is earmarked for establishing a research fund for the control of infectious diseases; and $500 million has been allocated to top up the $200 million already approved for the treatment of SARS patients and strengthening infection control and public health education.
The new provisions bring the total funds approved by the Legislative Council since March this year for fighting SARS to over $1.8 billion.
A spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said the recent SARS outbreak turned out to be one of the worst cases of infectious disease experienced by Hong Kong in decades.
"The additional resources are necessary mainly for the Hospital Authority to cope with the extra workload and activities associated with the fight against SARS, and to better prepare the public hospital system for any future outbreaks," he said.
The SARS outbreak revealed an urgent need to enhance and expand the infectious disease facilities in the public hospital system before the approach of winter, when SARS might re-emerge.
The Finance Committee agreed to allocate $409.6 million for alterations and additions to nine public acute hospitals to provide isolation rooms to segregate suspect fever patients who may have contracted infectious diseases, and to improve SARS ward facilities.
The nine hospitals are: Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital and United Christian Hospital.
These hospitals will provide about 1,280 beds in different-sized isolation rooms for confirmed and suspected SARS patients before the end of the year.
In addition, the Hospital Authority will, as appropriate, carry out suitable modification works in the remaining acute hospitals to enhance their infection control facilities.
"Apart from strengthening hospital facilities in handling a possible resurgence of the disease, it is also necessary for Hong Kong to strengthen its knowledge base on SARS and other infectious diseases so we can be better prepared for any future outbreaks," the spokesman said.
To this end, $500 million will be used to finance research projects. Of this amount, $450 million will be made available for application by local researchers and research institutes for projects covering research on aetiology, surveillance and epidemiology of infectious diseases, public health, basic, clinical and health service research, and funding of institutions to enhance research infrastructure.
The remaining $50 million will be allocated to finance Mainland research projects as earlier announced by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa.
The other $500 million approved today will help to cover hospital outlays in the treatment of SARS patients and additional human resources in the fight against the disease, and expenditure incurred by various government departments in strengthening infection control and public health education.
Meanwhile, financial assistance has also been provided to family members of those health care workers who sacrificed their lives to save and protect others.
End/Friday, July 18, 2003
