VEDNESDAY, AUG. 21, 1974.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MEDICAL WHITE PAPER UNDERLINED
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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. GERALD CHOA, SAID TODAY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG MEANT A CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION OF EXISTING FACILITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY.
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON HEETING OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG, DR. CHOA REVIELED THE WHITE PAPER, DRAWING ATTENTION TO ITS KOST SALIENT POINTS.
AMONG THESE VERE PROJECTS SUCH AS NEW KOSPITALS AND CLINICS, THE RE-ORGANISATION OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF REGIONALISATION PLANS, THE RENOVATION OF CERTAIN CLINICS, THE CREATION OF THE DENTAL NURSES TRAINING SCHOOL, AND THE SETTING UP OF A DENTAL CLINIC FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.
DR. CHOA TOLD THE AUDIENCE THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEGUN TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN INTEGRATING FAMILY PLANNING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS HATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICE.
IT WAS NOW ALSO FULLY OCCUPIED WITH A PILOT METHADONE MAINTENANCE RESEARCH STUDY, AND THE RESULTS OF THIS THREE-YEAR PROJECT VOULD BE CAREFULLY ANALYSED TO DETERMINE THE BEST COURSE TO ADOPT FOR THE FUTURE.
HEALTH EDUCATION WOULD DE THE SPECIAL CONCERN OF A HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT TO CE SET UP, AND ADDED EMPHASIS WOULD BE PLACED ON THE REHABILITATION OF THE PHYSICALLY AND KENTALLY HANDICAPPED.
THE PROBLEMS OF AN ACEING POPULATION HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE WHITE PAPER, AND THERE COULD BE GERIATRIC BEDS IN THE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, AS VELL AS PSYCHIATRIC BEDS.
THE WHITE PAPER HAD TAKEN A CLOSE LOOK AT THE DOCTOR SHORTFALL THAT WOULD DE OCCURRING IN THE EXT DECADE, AND DR. CHOA REPEATED HOW IT HAD BEEN DECIDED THAT TO MEET THIS SHORTFALL A MEDICAL FACULTY WOULD BE SET UP IN THE CHINECE UNIVERSITY, AND A DENTAL FACULTY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.
A THIRD NURSES TRAINING SCHOOL WOULD DE ESTABLISHED IN THE NEW PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL IN LAI CHI KOK, AND THE TRAINING OF PARAMEDICAL STAFF, SUCH AS LABORATORY ASSISTANTS, RADIOGRAPHERS, AND OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, VAS ALSO UNDER REV IEU.
THE CAPITAL COST FOR ALL THESE PROJECTS WOULD BE ABOUT $914 MILLION AT CURRENT PRICES. THE GOVERNMENT, HAVING REGARD TO PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, COULD DE ABLE TO SPEND ABOUT $590 MILLION FROM NOW UNTIL 1904 FOR ALL ITERS IN CATEGORIES A AND B OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME. OTHER ITEMS HAKING UP THE BALANCE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS THE ECONOMIC SITUATION ALLOWED.
YEAR.
THE ESTIMATED RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS AT $800 MILLION A
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