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SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 1935
MORE, BETTER MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDED
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THERE HAVE BEEN +UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENTS+ IN HONG KONG'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF EDINBURGH IN HONG KONG.
IT IS THE FIRST TIME IN 300 YEARS THAT THE ANNUAL EVENT IS BEING HELD OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM.
DR THONG TOLD THE MEETING THAT THE BASIC HONG KONG GOVERNMENT POLICY IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WAS TO ACHIEVE WITHIN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT AND PROVISION OF THE PREVENTIVE, CURATIVE AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES.
+ BELIEVE I AM NOT UNDULY COMPLACENT WHEN I SAY THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHICH IS TO A GREAT DEGREE EFFICIENT, WIDELY ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE AT ALMOST NO COST TO THE MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNITY WHICH RELIES ON SUBSIDISED MEDICAL CARE, HE SAID.
HE SAID THAT THE MEDICAL SERVICES HERE WERE ALSO UNIQUE IN THAT THEY WERE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL WHO NEEDED IT, WITHOUT THE USUAL MEANS TESTS, SUCH AS CITIZENSHIP AND LEVELS OF INCOME.
DR THONG SAID THOSE IN THE COLLEGE WHO MADE THE DECISION TO COME TO HONG KONG AT THIS TIME MUST HAVE A RARE SENSE OF HISTORY AS THESE ARE STIRRING DAYS OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
HE POINTED OUT THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME PART II OF THE MRCP EXAMINATION OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE WOULD BE HELD IN HONG KONG.
+THIS SURELY MUST BE A LANDMARK IN THE HISTORY OF POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION LOCALLY AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS EVENT WILL BE A TREMENDOUS CATALYST FOR US IN OUR PLANS FOR POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL TRAINING, HE ADDED.
DR THONG TOLD THE GATHERING THAT SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES+ IN 1974, HONG KONG HAD EMBARKED ON AN AMBITIOUS 10-YEAR PLAN FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
SINCE THEN, THE PLAN HAD BEEN ROLLED FORWARD AND UPDATED YEA BY YEAR, HE SAID.
-THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HAS BROUGHT ABOUT THE COMPLETION WITHIN THE LAST DECADE THREE MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OF ABOUT 1 400 BEDS EACH, AND OUR FIRST DENTAL TEACHING HOSPITAL.+
/AT THE