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disease, the average life expectancy is 71.7 years, the
second highest in Asia and comparable with the developed
countries of the West (virtually the same as the U.S.).
Over the last fifteen years, infant mortality per 1,000
live births has dropped from 41.5 to 15; maternal
mortality from 0.49 to 0.03;
from 67.8 to 14.8.
11.
and TB deaths per 100,000
Nevertheless there is still overcrowding
in some hospitals in the old urban areas, there are
insufficient beds for psychiatric and geriatric patients
and progressively provision must be made for the New
Towns. A plan for the expansion of Medical and Health
services was published in the 1974 White Paper. A
new hospital for 1,300 will come into full operation in
this financial year, further hospitals for 1,300, 200,
1,200 and 1,200 will open in '79/80, '80/81, '82/83 and
'83/84 respectively, the latter two to provide for the
requirements of the new towns now being built at Shatin
and Tuen Mun. This programme, coupled with the provision
of some beds in most clinics will raise the proportion of
beds per thousand population from 4.1 now to 4.8 in '83/84.
The progressive implementation of plans to rationalise
use of beds on a regional basis, and alignment of fees char-
ged in subvented hospitals with those charged in Government
hospitals, should do much to relieve over-crowding of
the latter, as should the steady provision of additional
Page 71 of beds, but clearly the target of 5.5 beds perpatgeous find 3