XN000022-1973-10-24 — Page 2

Wednesday, October 24, 1973

GOVERNOR OPENS YAN CHAI HOSPITAL

The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, today described the new

Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan as "a splendid example of what can be

achieved when the government and the community join forces in a common cause."

He was speaking at the official opening of the hospital which is

the first of its kind to be built in an expanding industrial area by the

district's own community leaders, in conjunction with the government and

the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Sir Murray said the hospital marked a step forward in the medical

field. Its role, he added, would be doubly valuable because it would be

possible to transfer patients from government medical institutions to the

new hospital which would charge prices in line with government hospital fees.

This means that no one need pay more than $1 as an out-patient or

$2 as an in-patient," the Governor said. "This is a most noteworthy step

towards providing standardised low cost medical care for the growing population

of Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung."

For the future, the Governor said that if the recommendations of

the Rodrigues Report are implemented, general clinics would be provided at

Kwai Chung and Lei Muk Shue during the next 10 years to supplement the

South Kwai Chung Polyclinic and the Princess Margaret Hospital.

He added that more social facilities would be provided in the new

towns now being planned as well as in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung to catch up

with the expanding population in the area which is expected to increase by

400,000 over the next decade.

/In his

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