Jobs focus unhealthy, says doctors' chief

Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa should assess the public health impact of government policies, not just their effect on the jobless rate, the re-elected president of the Hong Kong Medical Association said yesterday.

Dr Lo Wing-lok, also the legislator representing the medical sector, said: 'The chief executive said he thought about unemployment even when he was dreaming - that is not good for the public health.'

He cited the government's 'foot-dragging' over a plan to extend a smoking ban on restaurants despite it having majority support. The ban is being opposed by the catering industry for fear of increased unemployment and reduced earnings.

Dr Lo said he hoped the government would not relax regulations on unlicensed food premises as a means to ease unemployment. 'We have to consider the safety of people using these premises and keep up the standard of hygiene,' he said.

He added the government should seek other means of financing health-care urgently to redress the imbalance in market share between public and private sectors. Dr Lo said he would continue to fight for doctors' interests. 'The wish of all doctors is that they would like a representative that will speak for them clearly, loudly and without fear,' he said.

He also announced that in October the Medical Association would open an $8 million education centre in Central. Dr Lo said $5 million was donated for the premises' renovation and for that of the association's old headquarters in Wan Chai, bought for less than $1 million in 1975. The association, which has 5,600 members, reported a $2 million surplus last fiscal year.