XN000022-1977-01-01 — Page 2

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1977

WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CONTROLLED MEASURES AND IMMUNISATION PROGRAMMES, HONG KONG REMAINED FREE FROM POLIO, CHOLERA AND OTHER QUARANTINABLE DISEASES, WHILE THE INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS, ONCE THE NUMBER ONE KILLER DISEASE IN HONG KONG, HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DROPPED.

ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, 1977 WILL BE ANOTHER EVENTFUL YEAR FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, TWO MAJOR SCHEMES THAT WILL HAVE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

IN HONG KONG ARE TO BE INTRODUCED -- ONE TO REGIONAL ISE HOSPITAL AND CLINIC SERVICES AND THE OTHER TO SUBVENT THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS.

BOTH SCHEMES ARE AIMED AT MAXIMISING THE USE OF HOSPITAL BEDS AND RELIEVING OVERCROWDING AT THE MAJOR HOSPITALS. TO ENSURE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THE REGIONALISATION SCHEME, DAILY MAINTENANCE CHARGES IN THE GENERAL WARD FOR BOTH GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT-AIDED HOSPITALS WILL BE STANDARDISED AT $5 PER DAY AS FROM APRIL 1, 1977.

STAGE 1 OF THE SOUTH KWAI CHUNG POLYCLINIC, DESIGNED TO GIVE SUPPORTING SERVICES FOR THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL, AND STAGE OF THE EAST KOWLOON POLYCLINIC ARE EXPECTED TO BE OPENED IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS YEAR (1977).

WORK WILL ALSO BEGIN, DURING THIS YEAR, ON OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS SUCH AS THE NEW CLINICAL PATHOLOGY BUILDING AT KWONG WAH HOSPITAL, PHASE II EXTENSION OF THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE, EXTENSION OF THE SERVICE AND QUARTERS BLOCK AT NAM LONG HOSPITAL, AND ONE CLINIC EACH AT NGAU TAU KOK AND LEI MUK SHUE.

PRISONS STAFF - GET NEW KEY ******

RECENTLY, STAFF OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT WERE ISSUED WITH A NEW +KEY+. BUT THE KEY DID NOT OPEN ANY OF THE LARGE STEEL DOORS IN ANY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S 17 INSTITUTIONS.

+THE KEY+ IS THE DEPARTMENTAL NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED EVERY TWO MONTHS AND CIRCULATED TO STAFF AND OTHERS INTERESTED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES.

STARTED AS A NEWSLETTER FOR THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT SPORTS ASSOCIATION SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE PUBLICATION WAS RECENTLY EXPANDED TO INCORPORATE THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.

THE EIGHT PAGE NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE AND IS OFF-SET PRINTED BY INMATES AT STANLEY PRISON'S PRINTING WORKSHOP. A TOTAL OF 1,800 COPIES ARE PRINTED FOR EACH ISSUE.

+THE KEY+ CONTAINS SEVERAL PAGES OF DEPARTMENT INFORMATION, INTERESTING ARTICLES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS, AND IS PRODUCED BY A SMALL TEAM OF PRISON OFFICERS SUPERVISED BY THE SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT, STANLEY PRISON, MR. MAK PAK-LAM,

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