THURSDAY, NOVIMBER 15, 1978
IN THE MEANTIME, VARIOUS PROJECTS AIMED AT IMPROVING THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH FACILITIES IN EAST KOWLOON ARE IN THE PIPELINE. THESE INCLUDE A LARGE CLINIC CATERING FOR DAY PATIENTS IN 1980, A $45 MILLION HEALTH CENTRE BY 1981/82, A POLYCLINIC AT HAMMERHILL ROAD IN THE SAME YEAR, A GENERAL CLINIC AT LAM TIN IN 1982 TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER POLYCLINIC AT KWUN TONG LATER.
+WITH ALL THESE ADDITIONAL FACILITIES,+ SAID DR. THONG, +1 AM CONFIDENT THAT MEDICAL AND HEALTH NEEDS IN THIS AREA WILL BE MET SATISFACTORILY.+
TURNING TO THE SUPPLY OF DOCTORS, THE DIRECTOR SAID APART FROM THE MEDICAL FACULTY OF THE CHINEŠE UNIVERSITY AUGMENTING THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY'S OUTPUT, THE LICENTIATE EXAMINATION SCHEME FOR UNREGISTRABLE DOCTORS WILL PROVIDE A FURTHER SOURCE OF SUPPLY.
HE SAID THAT SO FAR 150 CANDIDATES HAVE PASSED THE PRESCRIBED EXAMINATIONS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AFTER COMPLETION OF THEIR EXTERNSHIP NEXT YEAR.
HE ADDED THAT RECENT MEASURES ON HOUSING ALLOWANCE FOR DOCTORS AND THE CREATION OF MORE SENIOR POSTS TO RECOGNISE HIGHER LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD ENCOURAGE MORE MEDICAL OFFICERS TO STAY LONGER IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER SUGGESTION BY MR. CHEONG-LEEN TO TURN THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME INTO A FREE AND COMPULSORY ONE DR. THONG SAID HE DID NOT THINK IT WOULD HELP ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF THE SCHEME.
HE SAID IF THE SCHEME WERE TO BE MADE COMPULSORY IT WAS QUITE CONCEIVABLE THAT THE ENROLMENT MAY BE INCREASED ON PAPER BUT IT DID NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW THAT THE ACTUAL ATTENDANCE AT DOCTORS CLINIC WILL PROPORTIONATELY INCREASE.
+THE MERE INCREASE IN ENROLMENT WITHOUT ACTUAL PARTICIPATION BY THE STUDENTS WOULD APPEAR TO DEFEAT THE OBJECTIVE, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT PUBLIC FUNDS MAY BE EXPENDED FOR SERVICES NOT ACTUALLY RENDERED, HE SAID.
+1 AM OF THE OPINION THAT THE $5 CONTRIBUTION FOR A WHOLE YEAR IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG TODAY CANNOT BE BY ITSELF A PROHIBITIVE FACTOR IN INFLUENCING THOSE PARENTS OR CHILDREN WHO WOULD WISH TO JOIN THE SCHEME, HE ADDED.
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