176. Construction of the 12-storey Centenary Block in the Tung Wah Hospital was begun in July 1970, and the first stage was due to be completed at the end of May 1972. The building will have 424 beds, with a new casualty department, X-ray facilities, new operating theatres, and single quarters for 20 medical officers.
177. The casualty department at the Kwong Wah Hospital handles cases of accident occurring between Waterloo and Lai Chi Kok roads. Many patients were referred to it by government clinics in Kowloon and the New Territories. As a result, this casualty department dealt with cases not only from the northern part of Kowloon peninsula, but also from other areas. A police post was established to deal with medico-legal cases, and an industrial nurse from the Labour Department attended during the year to advise in cases of industrial accidents. An officer from the Fire Services Department was also posted to the casualty department to handle ambulance services.
178. In the Wong Tai Sin Infirmary, there are altogether 681 beds, 185 allocated to the government tuberculosis service. Patients for long- term treatment are transferred to the Infirmary from the Queen Elizabeth or the Kwong Wah hospitals. There are also 503 beds in the Tung Wah Sandy Bay Convalescent Hospital for the treatment of chronic patients. But the provision of a total 1,184 beds for long-term patients under the management of the Tung Wah group of hospitals was still not sufficient, according to the year's experience, to meet the demand for more chronic beds in Hong Kong.
179. Towards the end of 1971, the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital began a programme of alteration to convert the present hospital for acute and sub-acute cases. The work is expected to be completed in September 1972. After renovation, there will be two major operating theatres, and one minor theatre, and two air-conditioned X-r
-ray rooms. The laboratory will be expanded. and the kitchen enlarged. The number of beds will be reduced from 338 to 330. The hospital will receive straight-forward emergency cases from its own out-patient department and receiving room, and also from the casualty department of the Tang Shiu Kin Hospital,
THE ALICE HO MIU LING NETIERSOLE HOSPITAL
180. This hospital, supported by the London Missionary Society. received a government subvention of $5.484.613 during the year. The
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hospital has been considerably modernized in recent years, and its facilities greatly improved.
181. In 1971, there was an increase in the number of surgical operations and laboratory examinations. Pathological facilities were completed by the establishment of a histology and cytology laboratory, handling all the hospital's work in this field. But the reading of micro- scope slides was still performed by the consultant pathologist. The small autopsy room in the hospital was also improved and re-equipped,
FOK OI HOSPITAL.
[82. This charitable hospital at Yuen Long in the New Territories continued in 1971 to serve the population in Yuen Long and surround- ing areas. Recently, the hospital was modestly expanded, and during the year, tenders were called for the construction of minor staff quarters, a kitchen, and a mortuary.
183. To improve the use of facilities, two surgical teams from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital visited the Pok Oi once a week for surgical clinics and operations. A small quantity of blood began to be stocked in the hospital for urgent use when required.
CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE
184. The Caritas Medical Centre has 898 beds. It was erected with the aid of donations from Catholic communities in many parts of the world, in particular the Federal Republic of Germany, and is maintained partly with the aid of a government subvention. In 1971, this was $4,440,000. The centre is situated in the densely populated district of So Uk in north-west Kowloon. It is administered by the Canosstan Sisters and comprises blocks for general, tuberculosis and cancer patients, as well as quarters for staff and a nurses training school. The hospital continued to play an active part in the provision of medical services in Hong Kong.
185. During the year, a physiotherapy service on a small scale was set up. Other improvements included furnishing and equipping the milk kitchen in the maternity ward, the installation of an incinerator, and the extension of the hospital kitchen. The hospital also planned to develop the site adjacent to the medical centre by the construction of a nurses training centre, a physiotherapy block, a new chronic hospital block and staff quarters.
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