TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1982
NEW HEART CENTRE AT GRANTHAM HOSPITAL
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HONG KONG'S MEDICAL SERVICES WILL REACH ANOTHER MILESTONE IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASES WITH THE SETTING UP OF A $45-MILLION CARDIO-THORACIC CENTRE AT THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT DISCLOSED TODAY (TUESDAY).
THE HOSPITAL, WITH A RECORD OF 25 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE TREATMENT TO TB PATIENTS, WILL BECOME A MAJOR CENTRE FOR PERFORMING HEART OPERATIONS.
THE CENTRE, OCCUPYING AN AREA OF OVER 1 500 SQUARE METRES, CONSISTS OF AN EIGHT-STOREY MEDICAL BLOCK AND 16-STOREY-HIGH QUARTERS FOR SENIOR HOSPITAL STAFF.
THE HEART CENTRE IS NAMED AFTER MR KWOK TAK-SENG IN RECOGNITION OF HIS DONATION OF $10 MILLION TOWARDS THE CAPITAL COST OF THE PROJECT.
THE HONG KONG TUBERCULOSIS, CHEST AND HEART DISEASES ASSOCIATION CONTRIBUTED $2 MILLION_TO THE COST, WITH THE BALANCE OF COST BEING MET BY THE GOVERNMENT.
THE NEW HEART CENTRE WILL COMPRISE TWO OPERATING THEATRES, A CARDIAC CATHETERISATION LABORATORY WITH BOTH ADULT AND PAEDIATRIC INVESTIGATION FACILITIES, A MEDICAL LABORATORY AND A PULMONARY PHYSIOLOGY LABORATORY.
ALL THESE SOPHISTICATED FACILITIES ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR OPEN-HEART AND CLOSED-HEART SURGERY AS WELL AS CARDIAC INVESTIGATORY SERVICES.
IN LINE WITH THE MUCH IMPROVED SURGICAL_FACILITIES, OUT- PATIENT SERVICES WILL ALSO BE EXPANDED AT THE HOSPITAL.
THE 625-BED GRANTHAM HOSPITAL, ONE OF A CHAIN OF HOSPITALS RUN BY THE ASSOCIATION, WAS OPENED IN 1957 SOLELY FOR THE CARE OF TB PATIENTS WHEN THAT DISEASE WAS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATHS.
HOWEVER, OVER THE YEARS INTENSIVE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE ASSOCIATION AND THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND TB IS NOW UNDER CONTROL, GOING DOWN TO EIGHTH IN THE 10 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH.
AT THE SAME TIME, CANCER HAS BECOME THE NO. 1, AND HEART DISEASE THE NO. 2 KILLER DISEASE IN RECENT YEARS.
/ON THE