Press Releases
FC approves $1.4 billion more to fight for SARS cause
The Finance Committee (FC) of the Legislative Council today (July 18) has approved a total funding of $1.4 billion to support the fight for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) cause.
The approved provision was for enhancing infectious disease facilities in nine acute public hospitals at $409.6 million; establishing a $500 million research fund for control of infectious diseases; and $500 million to top up the $200 million already approved for the treatment of SARS patients and strengthening infection control and public health education.
With the new provisions, the total funds approved by Legislative Council since March this year for fighting SARS amount to over $1.8 billion.
The recent SARS outbreak turned out to be one of the worst outbreaks of infectious disease ever experienced by Hong Kong for decades, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said.
"The additional resources is 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 recent SARS outbreak had 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 reemerge again. The FC agreed to allocate $409.6 million to carry out alteration and addition works in nine public acute hospitals to provide isolation rooms to segregate suspect fever patients who may have contracted infectious diseases and 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.
The hospitals concerned 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, 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 SARS, it is also necessary for Hong Kong to strengthen its knowledge base on SARS and other infectious diseases so that it could be better prepared for any future outbreaks," the spokesman said.
For this end, $500 million were approved for financing research projects.
Of the approved provision, $450 million would be made available for application by local researchers and research institutes from the public, private and academic sectors for projects covering research on etiology, 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 would be allocated to finance Mainland research projects as earlier announced by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa.
The FC today also agreed to allocate another $500 million to top up the $200 million approved on March 31 to cover hospital outlay 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.
The $500 million medical research fund and $500 million additional allocation were earmarked out of the $11.8 billion announced by the Chief Executive on April 23 as part of a package of measures to reduce the impact of the SARS outbreak on various sector. The Chief Executive announced on April 22 an allocation of $200 million (already approved by the FC on June 27) to provide assistance and professional training for health care workers.
Meanwhile, financial assistance has been provided to family members of those health care workers who sacrifice their lives to save or protect others. The FC also approved on June 27 another $22 million, making a total allocation of $34 million, in 2003-04 to cater for possible applications under the relevant financial assistance scheme. In recognition of the gallant acts of six health care staff of the Hospital Authority who have died of SARS contracted while carrying out their duties, their families have been offered financial assistance, involving $18.6 million for all the six cases.
Summary of funds approved by FC for the fight against SARS
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Amount
Approved on July 18, 2003
Enhancement of infection control facilities
$409.6 million
for nine acute hospitals
Medical research fund
$500 million
Additional allocation to top up the
$500 million
commitment for the fight against SARS
Approved on June 27, 2003
Training and Welfare Fund for HA
$200 million
Approved on March 31, 2003
Commitment for the fight against SARS
$200 million
Total
$1,809.6 million
End/Friday, July 18, 2003
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