Chief Executive Carrie Lam today visited ethnic minorities to introduce them to relevant support measures in the Policy Address and inspected the site selected for the first District Health Centre.

Mrs Lam toured the LINK Support Service Centre for Ethnic Minorities in Kwai Tsing to learn about its facilities and services.

"Ethnic minorities are members of the Hong Kong family. The Government has been providing support for them to ensure equal opportunities for them and facilitate their integration into the community.”

She said in her recent Policy Address she proposed a host of initiatives covering employment, education, social welfare and youth exchange to further strengthen support for the ethnic minorities.

A total of $500 million has been earmarked in this year's Budget for the measures, she said.

“The Government established the Steering Committee on Ethnic Minorities Affairs, under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for Administration, in July this year to enhance internal collaboration in the Government. We will work together with various sectors to build an inclusive society," Mrs Lam said.

New Policy Address measures include enhancing the professional competency of teachers to help non-Chinese speaking students learn Chinese more effectively, encouraging ethnic minorities to join the disciplined services, setting up dedicated outreach teams to actively approach and assist ethnic minority families in need of welfare services and organising more activities to encourage interaction and exchange between ethnic minorities and local communities.

Accompanied by Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan, Mrs Lam later inspected the site selected for the Kwai Tsing District Health Centre.

The Food & Health Bureau will set up the first such centre in Kwai Tsing District to provide services including health promotion, health assessment, chronic disease management and community rehabilitation.

The goal is to open the centre around the third quarter of next year.

"Enhancing district-based primary healthcare services will effectively change the current focus of our healthcare services on treatment and alleviate the pressure on public hospitals," Mrs Lam said.