TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1980
MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN NT NEW TOWNS
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THREE NEW HOSPITALS AND 10 CLINICS AND POLYCLINICS WILL BE PUT INTO SERVICE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN THIS DECADE TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN THE FAST DEVELOPING NEW TOWNS.
IN ADDITION, FIVE EXISTING HOSPITALS IN THE REGION WILL UNDERGO AN AMBITIOUS EXPANSION PROGRAMME.
THESE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE OUTLINED BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN CHARGE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION, DR C.Y. SAM, IN AN ADDRESS TO THE HONG KONG NORTHWEST ROTARY CLUB TODAY.
+ALL THESE MEASURES ARE GEARED TOWARDS IMPROVING THE EXISTING MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND MEETING THE TARGET RATIO OF 5.7 BEDS PER THOUSAND POPULATION SET BY THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE BY THE END OF THE DECADE,+ DR SAM SAID.
THE COMPLETION LAST MONTH OF THE 1 300-BED SOUTH KWAI CHUNG HOSPITAL, HE SAID, IS AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL.
TWO NEW GENERAL HOSPITALS WILL ALSO BECOME OPERATIONAL WITHIN A FEW YEARS' TIME, HE SAID. THEY ARE THE 1 400-BED PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL IN SHA TIN TO BE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER 1982 AND THE 1 300-BED HOSPITAL AT TUEN MUN DUE FOR COMPLETION IN 1985.
THE EXISTING FANLING HOSPITAL WILL SHORTLY HAVE AN EXTRA 50 BEDS UPON COMPLETION OF AN EXPANSION PROGRAMME THIS MONTH,
PLANS ARE ALSO IN THE PIPELINE TO BUILD AN EXTENSION BLOCK TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE MORE GENERAL BEDS AND SUPPORTING FACILITIES.
DR SAM POINTED OUT THAT THREE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED HOSPITALS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE, YAN CHAI AND POK OF HOSPITALS, WILL ALSO BE EXPANDED.
THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE PROPOSES TO BUILD AN ADDITIONAL SIX-STOREY COMPLEX FOR ITS NURSE TRAINING SCHOOL, STAFF QUARTERS AND OTHER FACILITIES BY 1983.
THE NUMBER OF BEDS AT YAN CHAI HOSPITAL WILL INCREASE FOUR-FOLD FROM 150 AT PRESENT TO 650 IN 1984, AND ITS EXTENSION WILL INCORPORATE AN OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT AND A 24-HOUR CASUALTY DEPARTMENT TO AUGMENT GOVERNMENT SERVICES IN THE HIGHLY DEVELOPED NEW TOWN.
THE EXPANSION PROGRAMME AT POK 01 HOSPITAL WILL BE IN STAGES. IT ENVISAGES AN INCREASE OF BEDS FROM 165 TO 420, AN EIGHT-BED INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, A NEW OUT-PATIENT DEPARTMENT AND A CASUALTY DEPARTMENT.
/AS REGARDS