XN000022-1973-04-30 — Page 6

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Monday, April 30, 1973

ROLE OF POK OI HOSPITAL

Dr. G.H. Choa, Director of Medical and Health Services, said

today he hoped people in the Yuen Long and Castle Peak areas of the New

Territories would make full use of the expanded facilities of the Pok Oi

Hospital.

He was speaking at a reception in the Medical headquarters to

mark the annual visit of the Hospital's Board of Directors, headed by the

Chairman, Mr. Koo To-shing.

The Pok Oi is an assisted charitable hospital with 162 beds. It

carries out the role of a general hospital for the western area of the

New Territories, including Yuen Long and Castle Peak the latter being

a rapidly-expanding centre of population.

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Since 1972, a number of improvements have been introduced to

encourage people in rural areas to use the Pok Oi Hospital instead of attending

overcrowded government hospitals in Kowloon.

In line with this policy, the Finance Committee of the Legislative

Council recently approved a recommendation by Dr. Choa that from April 1

this year, the Pok Oi Hospital's subvention be increased for the current

year from $1.5 million to $2,116,000.

Twenty of its 162 beds are being set aside for non-acute cases,

and can be used for the transfer of patients from other districts in the

New Territories, and urban areas, so as to make full use of available beds.

The others are for acute medical, surgical and gynaecological cases.

Dr. Choa thanked members for their concern for the health and

welfare of people living in rural areas and for their recognition of the

growing importance of the Pok 01 Hospital in the New Territories.

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