XN000022-1978-01-04 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1978°

+THE ORGANISATIONS ALREADY SUPPLYING THIS SERVICE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A 75 PER CENT SUBVENTION. A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM GOVERNMENT AND SIX VOLUNTARY AGENCIES INVOLVED HAS BEEN FORMED TO ASSESS THE VALUE OF THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG'S OVERALL MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.

+DATA ON PATIENT CARE, TYPES OF CASES AND THE IMPACT OF THE SERVICE ON IN-PATIENT FACILITIES ARE BEING COLLECTED AND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE MDAC FOR REVIEW, HE SAID.

DEMAND FOR OUT-PATIENT TREATMENT AT GOVERNMENT CLINICS CONTINUED TO INCREASE,

A FRESH APPROACH WAS ADOPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO IMPROVE OUT-PATIENT SERVICES. EXTRA OUT-PATIENT SESSIONS AT EIGHT CLINICS ARE NOW OPERATING ON WEEK-DAY EVENING AND AT SIX CLINICS ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.

+ THE ADDITIONAL SESSIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO RELIEVING PRESSURE AT OUT-PATIENT CLINICS AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDED A MUCH NEEDED FACILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO, FOR SOME REASON OR OTHER, PREFER TO ATTEND CLINICS IN THE EVENINGS,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THIS SCHEME IS BEING KEPT UNDER REVIEW WITH A VIEW TO MAK ING FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION IF NECESSARY.+

AT THE SAME TIME, HE ADDED, TO MEET DEVELOPING NEEDS, MORE CLINIC FACILITIES WERE MADE AVAILABLE DURING THE YEAR.

THE SOUTH KWAI CHUNG POLYCLINIC, THE EAST KOWLOON POLYCLINIC AND THE ARRAN STREET ASSESSMENT CLINIC ARE NOW IN OPERATION.

THE FIRST TWO PROVIDE SPECIALIST AND GENERAL OUT-PATIENT SERVICES WHILE THE CLINIC AT ARRAN STREET IS THE FIRST MEDICAL ASSESSMENT CLINIC AND WILL COMPLEMENT THE REHABILITATION PROGRAMME RECENTLY ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

DURING THE YEAR, SATISFACTORY PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO MAJOR PROJECTS THE 1,300-BED SECOND MENTAL HOSPITAL AT LAI CHI KOK, AND THE MACLEHOSE DENTAL CENTRE WHICH WILL ACCOMMODATE A TRAINING SCHOOL FOR DENTAL NURSES AND A SCHOOL CHILDREN'S DENTAL CLINIC.

ON THE HEALTH SIDE, THE COMMUNITY CONTINUED TO ENJOY A GOOD STATE OF HEALTH AS EVIDENCED BY THE LOW MORTALITY RATES AND THE CONTINUAL DECLINE IN THE INCIDENCE OF MANY COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.

WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MEASURES AND IMMUNISATION PROGRAMMES, HONG KONG HAS AGAIN REMAINED FREE FROM POL 10, CHOLERA AND OTHER QUARANTINABLE DISEASES.

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

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