More Clinics, Hospitals
Meeting the medical and health needs of an ever growing population requires con- tinual expansion of Hong Kong's already extensive medical services which have earned a reputation of being among the finest in Asia. More hospitals, both public and private, are being built as part of a continuing 10-year development plan. In the coming decade, it is expected that 14 400 more beds will be added to the approximately 24 200 now provided in medical institutions. The territory's most modern hospital the Prince of Wales Hospital, built at a cost of around $971 million - became operational in early 1984. This hospital is located in Sha Tin as part of a programme to build regional hospitals in both the new towns and the older- established districts. The government also runs 61 out-patient clinics as well as polyclinics and specialist clinics which are heavily patronised. More clinics are being built. Mobile dispensaries and floating clinics provide medical services for people living on outlying islands and in the more remote areas. Other inaccessible areas are visited regularly by a 'flying doctor' service. Dovetailing with the expansion of services is a rapid growth of teaching and training programmes for doctors and nurses. Generally, Hong Kong people have con- tinued to enjoy good health, reflecting the emphasis placed on preventive health measures provided by the Medical and Health Department.
Previous page: The computerised axial tomography (CAT) scanner at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Left: The central monitoring station in the hospital's intensive care unit; a linear accelerator used for treating cancer in the radiotherapy unit; staff monitor treatment and closed circuit television consoles as a patient undergoes radiotherapy.