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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1983
THREE NEW HOSPITALS PLANNED
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THERE ARE PLANS FOR THREE NEW HOSPITALS AT CHA1 WAN, EAST KOWLOON AND TAI PO, EACH WITH BETWEEN 1 200 AND 1 500 BEDS AND EACH COSTING OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS AT CURRENT PRICES, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL' TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPORTING GOOD PROGRESS ON HOSPITAL AND CLINIC DEVELOPMENT, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT DESPITE ALL THE DIFFICULTIES OVER THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL, ITS CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AND IT SHOULD BE IN OPERATION BEFORE THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR.
HE ALSO SAID THAT SITE FORMATION WORK HAD STARTED ON THE $752 MILLION PROJECT TO UPGRADE THE FACILITIES AT QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL, AND THAT CONSTRUCTION OF TUEN MUN HOSPITAL WAS DUE TO START NEXT YEAR.
SIR EDWARD SAID THAT IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS :
* AN EXTENSION OF POK OI HOSPITAL LATER THIS YEAR WILL
PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 113 BEDS;
* COMPLETION OF THE RED CROSS BLOOD TRANSFUSION CENTRE
THIS YEAR WILL PROVIDE HONG KONG WITH A MORE MODERN BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE AND PATHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, AND
* AMONG THE PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED NEXT YEAR ARE THE 150-BED MACLEHOSE MEDICAL REHABILITATION CENTRE, AND EXTENSION OF YAN CHAI HOSPITAL, AND SIX NEW CLINICS,
HE SAID THAT THESE EXPANSION PLANS, AND THE NEED TO UPGRADE EXISTING SERVICES, WOULD REQUIRE A CORRESPONDING EXPANSION OF MEDICAL TRAINING FACILITIES.
TIES
THE INTAKE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, WOULD RISE FROM BO THIS YEAR TO 100 IN 1984 WHEN CLINICAL FACILITIES WOULD BE AVAILABLE AT THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL.
THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WAS ALSO PLANNING TO INCREASE ITS ANNUAL INTAKE FROM THE PRESENT 150 TO 225 AS SOON AS ADDITIONAL CLINICAL TRAINING FACILITIES COULD BE PROVIDED AT THE PROPOSED EAST KOWLOON HOSPITAL, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD ALSO SAID THERE WERE PLANS FOR FIVE NEW TRAINING SCHOOLS FOR NURSES; THE INTAKES TO THE PHYSIOTHERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY AND RADIOTHERAPY SCHOOLS AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC WOULD ALSO BE INCREASED, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG DENTAL FACULTY WOULD PRODUCE ITS FIRST GRADUATES
IN 1985.
+OUR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICE WILL TAKE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD LATER THIS YEAR WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE NEO-NATAL SCREENING SERVICE. THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH EDUCATION IS ALSO RECOGNISED, AND PLANS ARE IN HAND TO EXPAND THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SIR EDWARD SAID.