Transcript of remarks of SFH at media session
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Reporter: How would you ensure that the VHIS meets the needs of the people, especially those with long term diseases?
Secretary for Food and Health: For the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) that we have just launched, first of all, its objective is to enhance the standard of the current hospitalised insurance for the people in Hong Kong. Secondly, it is also for those who can afford, and for those who want more choices, to have another option and they can buy these VHIS products. As far as the chronic illness people are concerned, some of the protection measures provided by the VHIS include some of the chemotherapy for cancer patients, some of the very important investigations, and also the hospitalisation. So I think that it can at least partly address the issue of chronic illness. Of course the public medical system is still our safety net for the people in Hong Kong.
Reporter: If they are not (covered by) the VHIS, they should turn for the public service?
Secretary for Food and Health: The public service is always here as a safety net for the people of Hong Kong. We would continue to enhance the service of our public system. The Budget has already announced that the Government has reserved $300 billion for the hospital development plan of the Hospital Authority; for improving the facilities of the Department of Health; as well as for enhancing the teaching facilities of the UGC-funded universities, so that they can increase the number of different healthcare professional students as they have enough teaching facilities to cope with the increasing number of students. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, March 3, 2018
Issued at HKT 12:03
Issued at HKT 12:03
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