Wednesday, March 28, 1973
EFFECTIVE FREE MEDICAL SERVICE ALREADY IN HONG KONG
Dr. Choa Speaks Of Need To Reduce Overcrowding In Government Hospitals
**
Dr. the Hon. G.H. Choa, Director of Medical and Health Services,
said today that, in effect, a free medical service was already in operation
in Hong Kong and there was no intention to change this.
He was speaking in the Legislative Council during the resumed debate
on the Appropriation Bill 1973-74.
He reminded members that patients were charged $1 for attendance at
a government clinic, and $2 a day in a government hospital - both charges
being waived or remitted on proof of hardship.
Dr. Choa said the possibility of raising fees would be carefully
considered by the newly-appointed Medical Development Advisory Committee,
although, in his view, there was a case for a slight increase in the #2 daily
maintenance in general wards.
Charges in a number of assisted hospitals for similar accommodation
had been raised to 38 or $10 a day, with the result that their bed occupancy
had declined while government hospitals were overcrowded.
He felt a slight increase would serve to narrow the gap **not to
force patients to shift from government to subsidised hospitals, but to relieve
the congestion in government hospitals, and to make full use of vacant beds in
assisted hsopitals."
For 1st and 2nd class accommodation, he described an increase in fees
as "inevitable," because the charges had fallen "very much behind."
/On direct