7
Health
IN the decade ahead, Hong Kong will see the fruits of a far-reaching and vigorous medical development programme involving the construction of six hospitals of over 1,000 beds each and more than 20 clinics and polyclinics in the new towns and population centres. Included in this programme is the establishment of a new teaching hospital for the territory's second medical school at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, three additional general nurse training schools and a new dental teaching hospital.
Expansion programming of these dimensions has become essential as the government gears its social services towards meeting heavier demands created by the sudden and dramatic increase in population. The high level of immigration during 1980, in particular, has given the Medical and Health Department an unprecedented increase in the pressure of work on all fronts.
Nevertheless, it was a year of both intense activity and significant progress. Several major projects were completed. Construction work finished on the South Kwai Chung Hospital, which is to provide 1,336 beds for treating the mentally ill; the Prince Philip Dental Hospital accepted its first intake of 76 dental students (who will be ready to serve the public by 1985); and the Kwong Wah Hospital gained an 11-storey wing to accommodate clinical pathology, occupational therapy and physiotherapy departments, an orthopaedic ward, prosthetic- orthotic unit, and an extension of the X-ray department. Also completed were the Fanling Hospital extension providing an additional 50 beds, a casualty department, a general out-patient department and a family health centre to serve residents of the northeast New Territories; the Lek Yuen Health Centre at Sha Tin -- consisting of a general out-patient department, a family health centre, the department of community medicine of the Chinese University, a public health laboratory, a health education centre and regional office; and the pre-clinical building for the medical school of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Other major projects which were under construction, or being planned, included a 1,400-bed hospital and polyclinic at Sha Tin (due to be completed by September, 1982), a 1,300-bed hospital for the Tuen Mun new town, a health centre at Lei Muk Shue and an extension to the Wong Tai Sin Infirmary.
The hospital and polyclinic at Sha Tin - to be named the Prince of Wales Hospital – will serve as a regional hospital for the eastern New Territories and a teaching hospital for the medical school of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, while the hospital at Tuen Mun will serve as a major acute hospital for the western New Territories.
The Lei Muk Shue Clinic is expected to be completed in 1981. It will consist of a general out-patient department, a family health centre and a maternity home. The Wong Tai Sin Infirmary extension will accommodate an additional 300 beds.
Throughout 1980, significant improvements were achieved in the many categories of
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