[Archive] "One School One Doctor" scheme

Following is a question by the Hon Yeung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Professor Arthur K C Li, in the Legislative Council today (May 21):

Question:

The Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower indicated that she had approached the Hong Kong Doctors Union and the Hong Kong Medical Association regarding the implementation of the "One School One Doctor" scheme before the full resumption of classes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the details of the "One School One Doctor" scheme and the amount of expenditure involved?

Reply:

Madam President,

In the united front to fight against SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and create a healthy school environment, private medical practitioners have also joined force to offer their service. The Hong Kong Medical Association (HKMA) and the Hong Kong Doctors Union (HKDU) have approached the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) separately and offered to work with teachers, students and parents to combat the disease by providing voluntary advisory service to schools in various districts.

HKDU has offered to operate a "School Advisory Service on SARS" (SASS), which aims to provide schools with prompt information on SARS and answer enquiries raised by schools and parents. Medical practitioners participating in the scheme will also conduct briefings at schools upon request. The scheme has so far recruited more than 70 medical practitioners.

The "One School One Doctor" scheme of the HKMA began after the resumption of classes in secondary schools when HKMA called on private practitioners in the Tai Po District to organise anti-SARS talks for local secondary schools. The scheme aims to provide students with a good learning environment and, in collaboration with schools, enhance students' health awareness and help develop in them the spirit of self-reliance and mutual assistance. In the Tai Po District, all secondary schools have joined the scheme, which is now being extended to primary schools. In view of the success in the Tai Po District, HKMA has extended the scheme to all 18 districts in the territory and started recruiting voluntary medical advisors in early May. At present, more than 240 medical practitioners have signed up for the scheme.

EMB has forwarded the lists of medical practitioners provided by HKMA and HKDU to School Heads'Associations or School Liaison Committees in various districts. Our District School Development Sections are also providing assistance in matching the participating medical practitioners with schools in the various districts. It is expected that the matching exercise will be completed within this month.

The above two voluntary schemes involve no government expenditure.

End/Wednesday, May 21, 2003

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