XN000022-1976-08-13 — Page 10

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1976

ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF DRUGS IN GOV'T HOSPITALS

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GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS WILL HAVE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF DRUGS FOR PATIENTS SEEKING IN-PATIENT OR OUT-PATIENT TREATMENT DURING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THERE WAS NO SHORTAGE OF DRUG SUPPLIES NOR HAD THERE BEEN ANY CUTBACK IN THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS ON DRUGS.

HE WAS COMMENTING ON RECENT PRESS REPORTS THAT DOCTORS AT QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CUT DOWN THE USE OF DRUGS BECAUSE FUNDS WERE SHORT.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE ON DRUGS FOR 1976/77 IS $35 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $5 MILLION OR 16.6 PER CENT OVER THE ESTIMATE FOR 1975/76.

BASED ON THE DRUG SPENDING LAST YEAR, A PRELIMINARY $6 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL FOR DRUGS DURING THE CURRENT YEAR, HE SAID.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE BEST USE TO BE MADE OF THE FUNDS, CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES ARE BEING SET UP IN THE MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS. THESE COMMITTEES ARE MADE UP OF THE MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT AND THE CONSULTANTS WHO HEAD THE VARIOUS UNITS OF THE HOSPITALS. THEIR PRIMARY OBJECT IS TO MAKE SUB-ALLOCATIONS TO INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS ON A FAIR AND EQUITABLE BASIS WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE OVERALL ALLOCATION UNDER THE DRUG VOTE TO A HOSPITAL, AND TO MONITOR DRUG USAGE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT AT NO TIME HAD DOCTORS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CUT DOWN THE USE OF DRUGS BECAUSE OF SHORTAGE OF FUNDS.

LAND RESUMPTION IN TUEN MUN *****

THE GOVERNMENT IS TO RESUME MORE THAN FIVE ACRES OF LAND IN TUEN MUN FOR FURTHER INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW TOWN.

ONE MONTH'S NOTICE OF THE RESUMPTION, WHICH COVERS 105,561 SQUARE FEET OF PRIVATE LAND, WAS PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID TODAY THAT NONE OF THE AFFECTED AREA WAS CLASSIFIED AS BUILDING LAND, ALTHOUGH 23 TEMPORARY STRUCTURES AND A SHRINE WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARED FROM THE SITE.

SIX FAMILIES WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE CLEARANCE, HE SAID, AND HAD BEEN OFFERED PUBLIC HOUSING OR ALTERNATIVELY SPACED IN A LICENSED AREA.

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