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SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 1974..
+FLYING DOCTOR+ SERVICE
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FLUTTERING INTO THE QUIET HILLY VILLAGE OF CHEUNG SHEUNG IN SAI KUNG ON A SATURDAY AN ALOUETTE HELICOPTER TOUCHES DOWN ON A TURF BESIDE THE PADDY FIELD, BRINGING WITH IT A DOCTOR AND A-NURSE.
KNOWING WELL THAT THE FLY ING DOCTOR+ IS THERE TO TEND TO THEIR ILLNESS AND CHECK THEIR STATE OF HEALTH, ALMOST THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE VILLAGE ALTHOUGH A MERE TOTAL OF ABOUT 40 - TURNED UP IN FULL FORCE TO GIVE HIM A HEARTY WARM WELCOME.
AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT VOLUNTARILY HELPS TO CARRY THE MEDICAL KIT TO A NEARBY SCHOOL ROOM WHICH HAS BEEN CONVERTED INTO A MAKESHIFT CLINIC.
THE DOCTOR AND NURSE, BOTH FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THEN GET DOWN TO THEIR BUSINESS WHICH, ALTHOUGH A LITTLE ROUTINE IN NATURE, MEANS MORE THAN DOCTOR AND PATIENT.
TO THE VILLAGERS, THE TWO ARE FRIENDS. FRIENDS WHO COME A LONG WAY TO SEE THEM IN THE LONELY AND REMOTE VILLAGE. IT IS MORE A SOCIAL CALL THAN A MEDICAL ONE.
AND A STEADY FLOW OF FRIENDLY CONVERSATION IS THUS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THEIR STAY.
THE VILLAGERS ARE MAINLY TREATED FOR SKIN DISEASES AND MINOR SICKNESS. WHEN SATISFIED THAT ALL IS WELL, THE VISITING TEAM BIDS FAREWELL TO THE WAY ING CROUD.
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SHORTLY AFTER THE DRAGONFLY-LIKE MACHINE TAKES OFF, THE VILLAGERS ONCE AGAIN BEGIN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TEAM'S NEXT CALL IN A FORTNIGHT'S TIME.
MEANWHILE, THE DOCTOR AND NURSE FLY ON TO THE OTHER VILLAGES IN SAI KUNG, PAK SHA 0, TAI LONG, SAI WAN AND LAN NAI WAN, DOING MORE OR LESS THE SAME THING AT EACH PLACE.
ON THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, THE TEAM VILL VISIT SOME OTHER VILLAGES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, INCLUDING NIM WAN IN CASTLE PEAK, WU KAU TANG AND SAM A TSUEN IN THE NORTH- EASTERN PART OF N.T.
THIS IS THE FLY ING DOCTOR SERVICE INTRODUCED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN 1961 FOR THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF THE HEALTH STANDARD IN ISOLATED VILLAGES IN THE N.T.
4.
UNDER THIS SERVICE, MEDICAL TEAM COMPRISING A DOCTOR AND A NURSE MAKES REGULAR VISITS TO THESE VARIOUS VILLAGES, USING ONE OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIAGY AIR FORCE HELICOPTERS. IT SERVES A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE.
BY ALTERNATE