WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1975
OVER 1,800 NEW HOSPITAL REDS EXPECTED
X X X X X
THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WILL RECEIVE A BOOST WITH THE OPENING OF THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL THIS MONTH AND OTHER HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL FACILITIES SOON AFTER.
THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TOLD COUNCIL TODAY HE EXPECTED THE NUMBER OF EXTRA HOSPITAL BEDS BROUGHT INTO USE SINCE MARCH LAST YEAR TO EXCEED 1.800 BY EARLY NEXT YEAR WHEN ONE THOUSAND BEDS AT THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL WILL BE IN USE.
BY THAT TIME, HE HOPED THAT THE TUNG WAH CENTENARY BUILDING AT THE TUNG WAH HOSPITAL WILL ALSO HAVE BEEN OPENED.
THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, WHICH WILL RECEIVE ITS FIRST PATIENTS THIS MONTH, WILL PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL EXTENSION TO HOSPITAL SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF NORTH AND WEST KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, WHILE THE TUNG WAH CENTENARY BUILDING WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO MEDICAL SERVICES ON HONG KONG ISLAND, HE SAID.
IN ADDITION, MORE SPECIALIST CLINICS WOULD OPEN EARLY NEXT YEAR IN TSUEN WAN/KWAI CHUNG AND AT MORRISON HILL AND, LATER IN THE YEAR, HE EXPECTED THE GENERAL OUT-PATIENT FACILITIES AT KOWLOON EAST POLYCLINIC TO COME INTO OPERATION.
THESE CLINICS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THOSE OPENED LAST YEAR AT TSE WAN SHAN AND SHA TAU KOK.
+WE ARE NOW APPROACHING A SITUATION IN WHICH IT CAN BE CLAIMED THERE IS A RANGE OF GENERAL AND SPECIALIST CLINICS WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF ALMOST EVERY PART OF HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.
LOOKING BACK OVER THE YEAR, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES HAD GENERALLY BEEN MAINTAINED.
GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND SUBVENTIONS HAD RISEN BY 35 PER CENT FROM $412 MILLION IN 1973/74 TO $557 MILLION IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
+INCREASED EXPENDITURE TO THIS DEGREE IN THE TIME OF DEEP RECESSION IS AN INDICATION OF THE IMPORTANCE THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES TO THESE SERVICES,+ HE SAID.
THE TOTAL
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