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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1976
NEW DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
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THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. GERALD H. CHOA, WILL PROCEED ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE NEXT JANUARY AFTER 20 YEARS' SERVICE WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
HE WILL BE SUCCEEDED BY DR. THONG KAH-LEONG, WHO IS AT PRESENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND WHOSE PROMOTION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.
DR. THONG, WHO IS 48, GRADUATED M.B., B.S. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG. HE IS HOLDER OF THE DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC HEALTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA AND A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE.
AFTER 14 YEARS' SERVICE WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IN SINGAPORE WHERE HE SPECIALISED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE, HE JOINED THE HONG KONG MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN 1970 AS A PRINCIPAL MEDICAL AND HEALTH OFFICER AND WAS PROMOTED TO HIS PRESENT POST IN 1972. HE HAS TAKEN A SPECIAL INTEREST IN FAMILY PLANNING AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING ABOUT THE INTEGRATION OF FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS INTO THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE. HE IS MARRIED AND HAS ONE SON AND TWO DAUGHTERS.
DR. CHOA, THE OUTGOING DIRECTOR, GRADUATED M.B., B.S. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG IN 1946 AND BECAME A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE IN THE UNIVERSITY IN 1959. HE ALSO HOLDS THE DIPLOMA IN TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL. HE BECAME A MEMBER AND A FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS IN 1952 AND 1968 RESPECTIVELY. HE WAS MADE A FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS IN EDINBURGH IN 1972 AND A FELLOW OF THE FACULTY OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE IN 1974.
HE WAS FIRST APPOINTED TO THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS A MEDICAL SPECIALIST IN 1956 FOLLOWING SEVEN YEARS AS A LECTURER IN MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, HE WAS PROMOTED TO SENIOR SPECIALIST IN 1963 AND SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY UNTIL HIS APPOINTMENT AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN 1967. HE BECAME DIRECTOR IN 1970,
DR. CHOA HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SINCE 1970 AND A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SINCE 1972. IN ADDITION, HE HOLDS SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS. THESE INCLUDE CONTROLLER OF THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE, PRESIDENT OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-T.B. AND THORACIC DISEASES ASSOCIATION, CHAIRMAN OF THE BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE MANAGEMENT BOARD OF THE BRITISH RED CROSS (H.K. BRANCH) AND PRESIDENT OF THE HONG KONG HEART FOUNDATION. HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF ST. JOHN'S AMBULANCE COUNCIL FROM JANUARY 1975 TO JUNE 1976. HE WAS AWARDED THE C.B.E. IN 1972.
DR. CHOA WILL TAKE UP HIS APPOINTMENT AS DEAN OF THE NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY ON JANUARY 1, 1977.
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