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Hong Kong Moves to Compensate Mesothelioma Victims
Hong Kong's legislature is set to vote on an amendment that will provide government compensation to people with mesothelioma.
The proposal will incorporate mesothelioma patients under the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance which provides government assistance to workers who have developed "black lung." The benefits include compensation for medical expenses, suffering and lost wages as a result of their condition.
The amendment is supported by the Labour Department which stated that because pneumoconiosis and mesothelioma have a common cause that it is reasonable to compensate sufferers of both conditions instead of just one.
The proposed amendment will go before the legislature in late January and the additional expenditures for patients will be financed by taxes on the construction companies.