XN000022-1974-08-14 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1974.

BETTER MEDICAL DEAL URGED FOR 'FORGOTTEN' MIDDLE CLASS

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THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR. THE HON. CHUNG SZE-YUEN, TODAY CALLED FOR A BETTER DEAL FOR + THE FORGOTTEN MIDDLE CLASS+ WHO, HE SAID, WERE NOT CATERED F IN THE MEDICAL WHITE PAPER.

+WITH THE EMERGENCE OF AN INCREASING MIDDLE CLASS IN THE COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG, THERE ARE RISING NUMBERS OF PATIENTS WHO WANT A BETTER SERVICE THAN THE THIRD CLASS IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS,+ HE SAID.

IN HIS OPINION, THE GAP IN CHARGES BETWEEN THE THIRD AND SECOND CLASS WARDS OF GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS WAS ALREADY TOO GREAT, +AND THERE ARE RUMOURS THAT THIS GAP WOULD BE FURTHER WIDENED.+

THIRD CLASS PATIENTS, HE NOTED, RECEIVED COMPLETELY FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT AND PAID ONLY A FEW DOLLARS A DAY FOR FOOD, WHEREAS FIRST AND SECOND CLASS PATIENTS HAD TO PAY A DAILY SUBSIST- ENCE AS WELL AS FEES FOR EXAMINATIONS, TESTS AND OPERATIONS UNLESS THEY WERE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

+ IN ADDITION, IT IS GENERALLY KNOWN THAT THE PROVISION OF SECOND CPASS BEDS IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IS VERY INADEQUATE AND,

IF UNLESS ONE IS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO GAIN ADMISSION FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.+

DR. CHUNG POINTED OUT THAT MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE +ARE NOT ONLY TAXPAYERS BUT ALSO FAST BECOMING THE BACKBONE OF OUR SOCIETY.+

TURNING TO THE TRAINING OF ADDITIONAL DOCTORS, DR. CHUNG WELCOMED THE DECISION TO SITE THE NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY.

WHILE HE DID NOT DISAGREE THAT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL SHOULD BE OPEN TO CANDIDATES FROM BOTH CHINESE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND ANGLO- CHINESE SCHOOLS, HE REGARDED THE PROPOSAL ON ADMISSION PUT FORWARD BY THE UNIVERSITY POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE +RATHER UNDESIRABLE+ FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

THE U.P.G.C. HAD PROPOSED THAT ADMISSION TO THE

MEDICAL SCHOOL SHOULD BE CHOSEN FROM THOSE WHO HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE FIRST YEAR AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY. AS A RESULT, ENTRANTS TO THE MEDICAL SCHOOL WOULD CONSIST PARTLY OF STUDENTS FROM THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY FIRST YEAR AND PARTLY OF STUDENTS ENTERING FROM OUTSI THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY WHO HAD PASSED THE APPROPRIATE +A+ LEVEL EXAMINATIONS.

ALTHOUGH A MEDICAL ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE HAD BEEN SUGGESTED TO AVOID FAVOURITISH TO INTERNAL CANDIDATES, DR. CHUNG SAID HE STILL ANTICIPATED DIFFICULTIES.

/ANOTHER TAPORTANT

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