WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977
26
WHEN ALL THE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, THE BED-POPULATION RATIO WILL INCREASE FROM 4.2 IN 1976 TO 5 BEDS PER THOUSAND BY 1985.
DR. THONG POINTED OUT THAT STATISTICS SUCH AS BED-POPULATION RATIOS WERE IMPORTANT INDICES IN SO FAR AS THEY MEASURED THE
INPUT OF THE SERVICE PROGRAMME.
HOWEVER, THE ULTIMATE INDICATORS OF HEALTH OF A COMMUNITY MUST BE THE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED INDICES SUCH AS STATISTICS ON MORBIDITY, BIRTH RATES AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES.
THE DIRECTOR SAID HONG KONG'S BIRTH RATE HAD FALLEN FROM 25.5 IN 1966 TO 17.2 LAST YEAR AND THE INFANT MORTALITY RATES FROM 24.9 TO 14.3 OVER THE SAME PERIOD, AND THE PATTERN OF DISEASE HAD SHIFTED FROM THE ERA OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES TO THE AGE OF DEGENERATIVE DISEASES, SUCH AS CANCER AND HEART DISEASES.
BY THESE STANDARDS, HE SAID, HONG KONG WAS SECOND ONLY TO JAPAN IN ALL OF ASIA AND BETTER THAN A NUMBER OF ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
ON COMMUNITY NURSING DR. THONG SAID THE SERVICE WAS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY SIX SEPARATE AGENCIES WITH VARYING PROGRAMMES OF WORK AND VARYING LEVELS AND NUMBERS OF STAFF.
+THERE IS, THEREFORE, A NEED FOR AN AGREED PROGRAMME OF WORK AMONG ALL AGENCIES AND TO EVALUATE HOW THESE SERVICES CAN BEST BE FITTED IN TO COMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE EXISTING FACILITIES AND IN PARTICULAR WHETHER AND TO WHAT EXTENT COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICES CAN REDUCE PRESSURE ON HOSPITAL BEDS, + HE SAID.
IF THERE WAS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THE SERVICE WAS ATTAINING ITS OBJECTIVES THE ORIGINAL THREE-YEAR EVALUATION PERIOD COULD BE MODIFIED TO ALLOW FOR AN EARLIER EXPANSION PROGRAMME, HE SAID.
IN REGARD TO THE PROVISION OF CLINIC SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT WAS CONSIDERING PROPOSALS FOR EXTRA EVENING CLINIC SESSIONS IN AREAS OF GREATER DEMANDS, HE SAID.
ON THE QUESTION OF DOCTOR SUPPLY, THE DIRECTOR SAID THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE A CERTAIN TURNOVER AMONG MEDICAL OFFICERS AT ALL LEVELS,
HE POINTED OUT THAT GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS PROVIDED VALUABLE TRAINING AREAS FOR THE YOUNG DOCTORS WHO DESIRE TO OBTAIN FURTHER EXPERIENCE IN THE GENERAL FIELD OR IN SOME SPECIALTIES BEFORE DECIDING TO REMAIN EITHER IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE OR TO GO INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, ASPIRATIONS FOR REASONABLE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG MEDICAL OFFICERS MUST BE BORNE IN MIND BECAUSE NO SERVICE +WISHES TO RETAIN MEMBERS WHO ARE DISSATISFIED AND FRUSTRATED.+
/+SENDIBLE
1