SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1984
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MAJOR EXPANSION FOR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
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PUBLIC DEMAND FOR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES CONTINUED TO INCREASE LAST YEAR, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY.
TO MEET GROWING NEEDS, A NUMBER OF MAJOR PROJECTS, INCLUDING EXTENSIONS OR IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING HOSPITALS AND CLINICS WAS COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S VIGOROUS MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE REST OF THE DECADE.
DESPITE THIS PROGRESS, A HEAVY STRAIN WAS PLACED ON EXISTING SERVICES.
IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS ALONE, MORE THAN 309 400 IN-PATIENTS WERE TREATED IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND 170 400 PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED INSTITUTIONS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
DURING THE SAME PERIOD, SOME 11.1 MILLION ATTENDANCES WERE RECORDED IN THE GOVERNMENT GENERAL AND SPECIALIST OUT-PATIENT CLINICS. PRESSURE ON SERVICES WAS HEAVIEST AT THE THREE GOVERNMENT REGIONAL HOSPITALS QUEEN MARY, QUEEN ELIZABETH AND PRINCESS MARGARET.
DURING THE YEAR, THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT CONTINUED TO PLAY A ROLE IN PROMOTING THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY AND CARRIED OUT A NUMBER OF CAMPAIGNS TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND AND PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASES.
HIGHER CURE RATES WERE ALSO REPORTED IN THE YEAR FOR TWO OF THE MOST PREVALENT CANCERS IN HONG KONG UTERINE CERVICAL AND NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA.
THE DEPARTMENT NOW CARRIES OUT TESTS FOR DETECTING THE TWO DISEASES IN THEIR VERY EARLY STAGES, THUS PROMISING EVEN HIGHER CURE RATES.
THE YEAR ALSO SAW THE START OF CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE FIRST PHASE OF THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL EXTENSION PROJECT, THE LARGEST EXTENSION PROGRAMME EVER UNDERTAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT. WHEN COMPLETED, IT WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 675 BEDS IN THE HOSPITAL.
THE SECOND PHASE OF THE NAM LONG HOSPITAL EXTENSION PROJECT WAS COMPLETED LAST YEAR, ADDING THREE STOREYS TO THE EXISTING TOWER BLOCK OF THIS GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED HOSPITAL AND PROVIDING MORE LABORATORY FACILITIES AND DOCTORS' QUARTERS.
AN ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SECTION WAS OPENED AT THE CHAI WAN HEALTH CENTRE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL TREATMENT FOR EMERGENCY CASES IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT.
A FULL ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE SHAU KI WAN HOSPITAL WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE IN OPERATION IN 1990.
THE GOVERNMENT NOW OPERATES 57 GENERAL OUT-PATIENT CLINICS AND WHERE NECESSARY. CASES ARE REFERRED TO POLYCLINICS OR SPECIALIST CLINICS FOR SPECIAL TREAMENT.
/THE SCHOOL