SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1984
2
THE SCHOOL DENTAL CARE SERVICE, INTRODUCED IN 1980, CONTINUED TO PROVIDE REGULAR DENTAL EXAMINATION AND SIMPLE DENTAL TREATMENT TO PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
THERE ARE TWO SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS AND SIX MORE HAVE BEEN PLANNED. ULTIMATELY, THE DENTAL SCHEME WILL PROVIDE COVER FOR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
TWO IMPORTANT MEDICAL CONGRESSES WERE HELD IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR: THE 9TH CONGRESS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY ATTENDED BY ABOUT 500 DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND THE ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN SOCIETY OF NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS ATTENDED BY SOME 400 DELEGATES.
BY THE END OF LAST YEAR SOPHISTICATED WHOLE-BODY CAT SCANNERS HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN ALL THE THREE REGIONAL HOSPITALS.
A FOURTH SCANNER WILL BE IN OPERATION IN THE NEW PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL IN MAY.
THE DEPARTMENT'S METHADONE PROGRAMME FOR DRUG ADDICTS CONTINUED TO PLAY ITS PART IN THE OVERALL NARCOTICS TREATMENT PROGRAMME.
LAST YEAR A NEW EVENING METHADONE DETOXIFICATION CLINIC WAS OPENED AT THE NGAU TAU KOK JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC, RAISING THE NUMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S METHADONE CLINICS TO 24.
THE DEPARTMENT'S DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE DECADE INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS, WITH THE AIM OF COMPLETING ONE HOSPITAL EVERY TWO YEARS.
IN ADDITION TO THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL, A 1 600-BED HOSPITAL FOR TUEN MUN NEW TOWN AND THREE OTHER HOSPITALS IN EAST KOWLOON, CHAI WAN AND TAI PO, EACH ACCOMMODATING 1 400 BEDS, ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR BEING PLANNED.
AT THE SAME TIME EXTENSION BLOCKS WILL BE BUILT AT THE THREE EXISTING REGIONAL HOSPITALS.
UNDER THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, ABOUT 20 GENERAL CLINICS AND POLYCLINICS ARE DUE FOR COMPLETION DURING THE DECADE.
SUBVENTED AND PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT COMPLEMENTARY ROLE IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL CARE, THE SPOKESMAN
SAID,
PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE INCLUDE FURTHER EXTENSION TO YAN CHAI HOSPITAL AND POK OF HOSPITAL, AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE RUTTONJEE SANATORIUM INTO A 430-BED GENERAL HOSPITAL. THREE NEW PRIVATE HOSPITALS ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGE, WITH A CAPACITY OF 200 TO 600 BEDS EACH.
TO SUPPORT THE AMBITIOUS MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. ADDITIONAL FACILITIES ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR THE TRAINING OF DOCTORS, NURSES AND PARA-MEDICAL STAFF.
APART FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WHICH PRODUCES ABOUT 150 DOCTORS A YEAR, THE MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG STARTED ITS FIRST INTAKE OF 60 STUDENTS IN SEPTEMBER 1981.
/OPPORTUNITLAS