8
BOLE
Health
A VIGOROUS expansion programme covering a wide range of medical and health services is going ahead to meet the many, varied needs of Hong Kong's people. The government's objective is to provide a balanced set of services throughout the territory. Its medical development programme is concerned with widespread primary health care, more hospital beds, increased rehabilitation facilities and a certain number of specialised treatment units. Following the 1979 review of the medical development programme, the Medical Develop- ment Advisory Committee recommended that, apart from a major schedule of improve- ments and extensions to a number of existing hospitals, new hospitals should be built in east Kowloon, Shau Kei Wan and Tai Po to meet a shortfall in beds. Additional clinics and polyclinics were also recommended for the new towns of the New Territories and other densely-populated urban areas.
The year was one of steady progress in projects already a part of the Public Works Programme. The 1,300-bed psychiatric wing of the Princess Margaret Hospital is to be completed in 1980 and this should greatly reduce the present overcrowding at the Castle Peak Hospital in the New Territories. Also scheduled for completion in 1980 is the Dental Teaching Hospital at Sai Ying Pun, which will provide clinical training facilities for the dental school being established at the University of Hong Kong.
Construction of the superstructure of the Sha Tin Hospital started in 1979; the hospital will
open
in 1983. This 1,400-bed hospital will serve both as a regional hospital for the east New Territories, as well as being the teaching hospital for the new medical school at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Planning is also proceeding for a 1,300-bed hospital in the new town of Tuen Mun. This hospital, when completed in 1985, will serve as a major district hospital for the west New Territories.
The 11-storey new wing at the Kwong Wah Hospital will be ready in 1980. It will augment the facilities of the hospital which is the regional hospital for west Kowloon. A 50-bed extension to Yan Chai Hospital - serving Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung - was completed in March, 1979. A second phase of development is scheduled to start soon.
―
A new 13-storey extension of the Caritas Medical Centre, which is a district hospital for the west New Territories, began phased operations in 1979. The extension comprises 576 beds for geriatric and mentally-handicapped people.
A second medical school, to be established at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, will have its first intake of pre-clinical students in 1981. The school will eventually produce 100 doctors a year. The new Sha Tin Hospital will serve as the teaching hospital. Two more nurse-training schools are also planned over the next five years.
The University of Hong Kong will establish its dental school in 1980. The first 60 dentists are expected to graduate in early 1985.