XN000022-1978-12-31 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1978

THE REGIONALISATION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, INTRODUCED IN APRIL 1977, HAS LARGELY ACHIEVED ITS MAIN OBJECTIVE OF PUTTING INTO MAXIMUM USE OF AVAILABLE FACILITIES IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS.

PRESSURE ON THE TWO MAJOR REGIONAL HOSPITALS - QUEEN MARY AND QUEEN ELIZABETH HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY RELIEVED AND THE BED OCCUPANCY RATE OF THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS HAS BEEN INCREASED TO THE SATISFACTORY LEVEL OF OVER 80 PER CENT.

DEMAND FOR OUT-PATIENT TREATMENT AT GOVERNMENT CLINICS CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND, TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND, THE DEPARTMENT OPENED FOUR MORE EVENING CLINICS IN OCTOBER, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 14.

SIX GOVERNMENT CLINICS ALSO OPERATE SESSIONS ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. OUT-PATIENT ATTENDANCES AT GOVERNMENT CLINICS TOTALLED MORE THAN 10,2 MILLION IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

CONSTRUCTION WORK ON AN 11-STOREY CLINICAL PATHOLOGY BUILDING AT KWONG WAH HOSPITAL STARTED TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. WHEN COMPLETED, IT WILL PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF CLINICAL SERVICES WHICH WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE FACILITIES OF THE SUBVENTED HOSPITAL AND ENABLE IT TO PLAY THE FULL ROLE OF A REGIONAL HOSPITAL SERVING THE WEST KOWLOON REGION.

DURING THE YEAR, THE CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE EXTENSION WAS COMPLETED, PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL 600 BEDS.

A FURTHER STEP FORWARD IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL CARE FOR TSUEN WAN AND KWA! CHUNG RESIDENTS WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW EXTENSION TO YAN CHA HOSPITAL WHICH STARTED IN MID-1978.

A TOTAL OF 50 ADDITIONAL BEDS WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE FIRST STAGE OF THE EXPANSION PROJECT. ADDITIONAL BEDS, SUPPORTING FACILITIES AND STAFF QUARTERS ARE ALSO PLANNED IN THE SUBSEQUENT STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.

IN THE EAST NEW TERRITORIES, CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FANLING HOSPITAL EXTENSION STARTED IN SEPTEMBER, 1978. THE AIM OF THE EXTENSION AND IMPROVEMENT IS TO BRING THE EXISTING HOSPITAL UP TO A DISTRICT HOSPITAL CAPABILITY,

OUTLINED

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, A NUMBER OF MAJOR PROJECTS IN THE 10-YEAR MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED. THE 1,300-BED PSYCHIATRIC WING OF THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL WILL BE COMPLETED IN 1980.

SITE FORMATION WORK FOR THE 1,400-BED HOSPITAL IN SHA TIN AND THE 1,300-BED HOSPITAL IN TUEN MUN HAS BEGUN. THESE PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED IN 1982 AND 1984 RESPECTIVELY.

MORE THAN 10 CLINICS, POLYCLINICS AND HEALTH CENTRES WILL BE COMPLETED AND BROUGHT INTO USE BY 1983.

WITH THE COMPLETION OF THESE PROJECTS, THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL BEDS IN HONG KONG WILL BE INCREASED FROM 19,770 TO 25,000 BY THE EARLY 1980S WITH THE BED/POPULATION REACHING 5.2 PER 1,000 POPULATION.

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