A festive Mid-Autumn: A band of residents and staff of the Fu Hong Rehabilitation Centre play a hymn to greet Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong.

The Government will continue to promote the well-being and interests of the disabled by fostering an inclusive community spirit through public education and promotion of community-based care.

This was the message from Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, who visited the Fu Hong Rehabilitation Centre today.

A new initiative is the launch of a five-year pilot scheme, with $27 million in funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, to enhance the development of the disabled in arts and culture.

More than 40,000 disabled people will gain benefits from the scheme.

The Government's objective is to promote and provide comprehensive and effective measures for integrating the disabled into the community, including enhancing their employment opportunities by providing employment services and vocational training.

"In addition to subsidising rehabilitation services, the Social Welfare Department is also inviting application from non-governmental organisations to operate Integrated Vocational Rehabilitation Services for people with disabilities in a bid to enhance vocational training services and employment opportunities for them," Dr Yeoh said.

About $15.9 billion will be spent this financial year on rehabilitation services. Among them, the welfare programmes provide 4,700 places for pre-school service, 13,300 places for daycare service and 9,100 places for residential service.