WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1979
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SOME WARDS ARE LOCATED AT THE TOP OF BUILDINGS WITH INADEQUATELY INSULATED ROOFS. THERE ARE ALSO HOSPITALS NEAR INDUSTRIAL AREAS WHICH ARE CONSTANTLY SUBJECT TO ATMOSPHERIC AND NOISE POLLUTIONS.
A IR-CONDITIONING WOULD BE THE EASIEST WAY OF REDUCING
THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF THESE NUISANCES, HE SAID.
IN SUPPORTING THE MOTION, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. E.P. HO SAID IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE ON MEDICAL GROUNDS THAT GENERAL HOSPITALS AT LEAST IN THE ACUTE AND PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS, SHOULD BE AIR-CONDITIONED.
+HOWEVER,+ MR. HO ADDED, THIS IS BUT ONE OF THE MANY DESIRABLE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THE ASSUMPTION IMPLICIT IN MR. WONG'S CONCLUDING REMARKS THAT EXPENDITURE ON SUCH AIR-CONDITIONING WOULD ONLY BE A DROP IN THE BUCKET.+
ACCORDINGLY, MR. HO SAID, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN EVERY INDIVIDUAL CASE AND TO CONSIDER THE PRIORITY TO BE ACCORDED TO IT IN THE LIGHT OF THE MANY COMPETING CLAIMS ON OUR LIMITED RESOURCES.
+ IN THE SPECIFIC CASE OF THE NEW SHA TIN HOSPITAL, I, TOO, HOPE THAT THE ULTIMATE CONCLUSION WOULD BE THAT ITS COMPLETE AIR- CONDITIONING WAS NOT ONLY DESIRABLE BUT ALSO EFFICACIOUS IN MEDICAL AS WELL AS FINANCIAL TERMS, MR. HO CONCLUDED.
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