CO129-618-1 Institute of Medical Research- proposed construction 21-4-1947 - 5-12-1947 — Page 22

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B. HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.

It is not our intention to give a detailed survey of the medical facilities in the Colony and Leased Territories in view of the comprehensive report submitted to Government and considered by the Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1939 - loc. cit.

Suffice to say, that we confirm the fact clearly established in the above-mentioned report that the number of beds available for general and special diseases and for children are quite inadequate.

In the United Kingdom and Hong Kong respectively the proportion of hospital beds (government and private) per ten thousand of the population (taken as 1,200,000 at March, 1947) is approximately as follows :-

(A) General

medical and surgical

(B) Infectious diseases,

tuberculosis and mental diseases.

United Kingdom.

Hong Kong.

40

30

20

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Included in (A) provision is made for five beds for children and four beds for women in child-birth per ten thousand inhabitants.

Beds for tuberculosis patients are usually based upon the average number of deaths per year over the previous five years. For obvious reasons, such a calculation is not possible in Hong Kong. On the assumption that the deaths from tuberculosis in 1946, namely, 1,752, represented an average, the number of beds for tuberculosis cases required in Hong Kong would amount to approximately 1,800.

In passing, it is interesting to note that the target aimed at in Nigeria is to provide five beds for every ten thousand inhabitants within ten years. Nigeria has a population of about 22 millions and is roughly one thousand times the area of Hong Kong and the Leased Territories oombined.

The proposals relating to hospitals are summarised in Appendix D2 of this report and are largely self-explanatory.

(1) Infectious Diseases Hospital.

We have given a new hospital for infectious diseases pride of place on the list, partly because the Kennedy Town Infectious Diseases Hospital was completely demolished during the Pacific War, partly because the Sai Ying Pun Hospital is situated in a highly congested area and mediate infection is common, and partly because the site formation on the Kowloon Medical Centre was completed before the outbreak of war and the plans for the hospital drawn up.

(2) General Hospital.

We have shown a new general hospital second on the list since Government hospital facilities on the Peninsula are quite inadequate and, again, the site was formed and plans drawn up in 1941.

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