I refer to the report headlined, 'Half of parents in dark on medical scheme for students' (South China Morning Post, August 11), concerning a survey undertaken by the Tsing Yi Concern Group.
The other half of parents who knew about the scheme could not be bothered with it. I was one of the 541 doctors who took part in the old scheme.
There were some complaints about 'careless doctors' under the old scheme, but the majority of 'old scheme' doctors performed their duties well. Students still come to my clinic even though the old scheme has been scrapped, paying regular fees. The parents do not have time to bring their child to see new scheme doctors. It can often take up to half a day. In any case, they want their child treated for sickness, not for a free medical check up. By all means carry on with the new scheme, but why not also bring back the old system? There would be no conflict. A combination of the two schemes would be ideal. Now that we are expecting a massive influx of schoolchildren from the mainland, there is even more reason for a scheme to treat sick children who are less well-off or even downright poor. The old scheme ran for 20 years, so it could easily be started again within six months.
I congratulate the Tsing Yi Concern Group for the work it has done. This group is in touch with reality; this is not the first time it has produced a pioneering survey.
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