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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978
MEDICAL FACILITIES ON LAMMA ISLAND ADEQUATE
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MEDICAL FACILITIES ON LAMMA ISLAND ARE CONSIDERED ADEQUATE TO MEET THE PRESENT NEED, BUT PLANS ARE IN HAND TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE EXISTING SERVICES BY EXTENDING AND RE-ARRANGING CLINIC SESSIONS FOR RESIDENTS ON THE ISLAND.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L. THONG, IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION BY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG, AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.
DR. FANG HAS ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD PLANS TO IMPROVE THE MEDICAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES ON LAMMA ISLAND WHERE THE POPULATION HAD INCREASED FROM 2,416 IN 1976 TO OVER 5,000.
IN REPLY, DR. THONG SAID JUDGING FROM THE CLINIC ATTENDANCE FIGURES IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR CLINIC FACILITIES RECENTLY WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE NEEDS FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES IN OUTLYING ISLANDS, IT WAS MORE USEFUL TO EXAMINE THE ACTUAL CLINIC ATTENDANCES IN RECENT YEARS RATHER THAN TO RELY ON ESTIMATION OF THE POPULATION.
ACCORDING TO RECORDS IN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT THE AVERAGE CLINIC ATTENDANCES WERE 839 CASES SEEN PER MONTH IN 1976, 820 CASES IN 1977 AND 880 CASES THIS YEAR.
THESE FIGURES SHOWED AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF ONLY ABOUT TWO CASES PER CLINIC SESSION PER MONTH SINCE 1976, DR. THONG ADDED.
REFERRING TO THE EXISTING FACILITIES, THE DIRECTOR SAID THEY CONSISTED OF OUT-PATIENT SERVICES AND MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES WHICH ARE PROVIDED ON A SESSIONAL BASIS.
ALTOGETHER 23 CLINIC SESSIONS ARE PROVIDED IN A MONTH FOR THE
RESIDENTS.
THERE ARE, IN ADDITION, EMERGENCY ARRANGEMENTS FOR ACUTE CASES WHICH ARE TRANSPORTED EITHER BY HELICOPTERS OR POLICE LAUNCHES FROM THE ISLAND TO MAJOR REGIONAL HOSPITALS, USUALLY THE QUEEN MARY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITALS.
THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE ON A 24-HOUR BASIS, SAID DR. THONG.
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