XN000022-1975-10-20 — Page 3

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1975

FIRST PATIENTS ADMITTED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL

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PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST MODERN HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG, ADMITTED ITS FIRST PATIENT TODAY WITH THE OPENING OF THE 162-BED IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE WARDS.

DURING THE FIRST DAY OF OPERATION, 34 PATIENTS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE WARDS FROM THE OLD LAI CHI KOK HOSPITAL. THE REMAINING 40 TO 50 CASES NOW BEING TREATED THERE WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

THE INFECTIOUS DISEASE UNIT IS SO DESIGNED THAT PATIENTS OF DIFFERENT DISEASES CAN BE ISOLATED FROM ONE ANOTHER. THERE ARE ONE TO THREE BEDS IN EACH ROOM ACCORDING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE INFECTION, WITH INDIVIDUAL TOILET FACILITIES ATTACHED.

THE UNIT HAS ITS OWN FACILITIES FOR X-RAY, SURGICAL OPERATIONS, AND LINEN EXCHANGE, AMONG OTHERS.

THE $51.5 MILLION HOSPITAL IS TO BE OPENED IN TWO STAGES. THE FIRST STAGE WILL BE PHASED OVER A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS UP TO MARCH NEXT YEAR WHEN ABOUT 1,000 BEDS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY THE PUBLIC. THE SECOND PHASE OF THE HOSPITAL OPENING PROGRAMME WILL INVOLVE THE GERIATRIC UNIT, WHICH IS TO BEGIN OPERATION IN EARLY NOVEMBER.

INITIALLY THE UNIT WILL PROVIDE 74 GERIATRIC BEDS, BUT THIS WILL INCREASE TO 222 BY THE END OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

BY DECEMBER, ONE CLINICAL UNIT, EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIALTIES: MEDICINE, SURGERY, PAEDIATRICS, OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, AND ORTHOPAEDICS, WILL BE IN OPERATION.

THE FINAL PHASE IN THE FIRST STAGE WILL BE THE OPENING OF THE CASUALTY DEPARTMENT SOME TIME EARLY NEXT YEAR.

IN THE SECOND AND FINAL STAGE, ANOTHER CLINCIAL UNIT EACH OF THE SPECIALTIES OF MEDICINE, SURGERY, PAEDIATRICS, AND ORTHOPAEDICS WILL BE OPEN.

WHEN THE HOSPITAL IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 1,340 BEDS.

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