44
nominal cost, through a comprehensive
network of
out-patient clinics, maternal and child health centres
and school dental clinics.
l.c.
89.
Much has been achieved, too, in the provision
of curative medical treatment. This is based on the five
regional hospitals and four other large hospitals. In
addition, there has been a steady growth in new
specialist clinics and other supporting facilities as well as in the numbers of hospital beds and professional
staff. In Tuen Mun we are currently building one of the
And Anf largest hospitals in the world with 1,600 beds. Before that is completed we will start work on an even larger hospital in Eastern District, the Pamela Youde Hospital,
which will have 2,000 beds.
90.
our
Nevertheless, much still remains to be done. As I have seen for myself,
seen for myself, some of our hospitals suffer from serious overcrowding. The undoubted dedication of
medical staff is no substitute for lack of
bed-spaces.
Plans are in hand to deal with this
problem. The number of hospital beds will increase by no
por center less than 50% in the coming decade. We need also to realise that the public is demanding higher standards in
this as in other areas of their lives. We must do what
/we
can