XN000022-1973-07-18 — Page 17

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Wednesday, July 18, 1973

RELIEVING CONGESTION IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS

Action to relieve congestion in government hospitals will be

taken as soon as the government approves recommendations to this effect

proposed by the Medical Development Advisory Committee.

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

said this today in the Legislative Council in reply to a question by the

Hon. Hilton Cheong-leen, who had asked when the "visible shortage" of beds

in government hospitals could be improved.

To relieve congestion in government hospitals," Dr. Choa said,

"we need not only more space, but also to make sure that we make the

fullest use of the space available in both government and government-assisted

hospitals.

The Hedical Development Advisory Committee have examined the

question of congestion in government hospitals in great detail, and

recommendations on the action that is needed will be a main feature of their

report."

Dr. Choa told the Council this report was about to be submitted to

the Government, and if the recommendations were accepted, they would be put

into effect with as much urgency as is possible. 11

In a reference to camp beds in the corridors of government hospitals,

he explained that such additional beds sometimes had to be used because all

patients in need of treatment were admitted.

In bad weather, for example, they had to be kept away from windows,

and when wards were full, some beds had to be moved temporarily into corridors

to facilitate the treatment and special examinations of other patients in the

wards.

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