RECEIVED REGISTRY No.52
-9 SEP 1974
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WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21, 1974.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MEDICAL WHITE PAPER UNDERLINED
KEERKR
THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. GERALD CHOA, SAID TODAY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE UNITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG KEANT A CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION OF EXISTING FACILITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG, DR. CHOA REVIEWED THE UNITE PAPER, DRAWING ATTENTION TO ITS KOST SALIENT POINTS.
AMONG THESE WERE PROJECTS SUCH AS NEW HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, THE RE-ORGANISATION OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF REGIONALISATION PLANS, THE RENOVATION OF CERTAIN CLINICS, THE CREATION OF THE DENTAL NURSES TRAINING SCHOOL, AND THE SETTING UP OF A DENTAL CLINIC FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.
DR. CHOA TOLD THE AUDIENCE THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEGUN TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN INTEGRATING FAMILY PLANNING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICE.
IT WAS NOW ALSO FULLY OCCUPIED WITH A PILOT METHADONE MAINTENANCE RESEARCH STUDY, AND THE RESULTS OF THIS THREE-YEAR PROJECT WOULD BE CAREFULLY ANALYSED TO DETERMINE THE BEST COURSE TO ADOPT FOR THE FUTURE.
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HEALTH EDUCATION COULD DE THE SPECIAL CONCERN OF A HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT TO DE SET UP, AND ADDED EMPHASIS WOULD BE PLACED ON THE REHABILITATION OF THE PHYSICALLY AND KENTALLY HANDICAPPED.
THE PROBLEMS OF AN ACEING POPULATION HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE WHITE PAPER, AND THERE WOULD BE CERIATRIC BEDS IN THE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, AS WELL AS PSYCHIATRIC BEDS.
THE WHITE PAPER HAD TAKEN A CLOSE LOOK AT THE DOCTOR · SHORTFALL THAT WOULD DE OCCURRING IN THE NEXT DECADE, AND DR. CHOA REPEATED HOW IT HAD BEEN DECIDED THAT TO MEET THIS SHORTFALL A MEDICAL FACULTY WOULD DE SET UP IN THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, AND A DENTAL FACULTY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.
A THIRD NURSES TRAINING SCHOOL WOULD DE ESTABLISHED IN THE NEW PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL IN LAI CHI KOK, AND THE TRAINING OF PARA-MEDICAL STAFF, SUCH AS LABORATORY ASSISTANTS, RADIOGRAPHERS, AND OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, WAS ALSO UNDER REV JEU.
THE CAPITAL COST FOR ALL THESE PROJECTS WOULD BE ABOUT $914 MILLION AT CURRENT PRICES. THE GOVERNMENT, HAVING REGARD TO PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WOULD DE ABLE TO SPEND ABOUT $690 MILLION FROM NOJ UNTIL 1984 FOR ALL ITEMS IN CATEGORIES A AND B OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME. OTHER ITENS MAKING UP THE BALANCE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS THE ECONOMIC SITUATION ALLOWED.
YEAR.
THE ESTIMATED RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS AT $800 MILLION A
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