XN000022-1979-07-24 — Page 8

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1979

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600-BED HEART DISEASE CENTRE TO BE CONSTRUCTED

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CONSTRUCTION WILL SHORTLY BEGIN ON A 600-BED CARDIO-THORACIC CENTRE WHICH WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED FACILITIES FOR CARRYING OUT OPEN-HEART AND CLOSED-HEART SURGERY.

THE CONTRACT, TO BE SIGNED TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY), IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANNEXE TO THE GOVERNMENT-SUBVENTED GRANTHAM HOSPITAL IN WONG CHUK HANG.

THE CENTRE IS A JOINT PROJECT OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-TUBERCULOSI. AND THORACIC DISEASES ASSOCIATION, THE HONG KONG HEART FOUNDATION AND THE HONG KÔNG GOVERNMENT.

THE CAPITAL COST OF THE PROJECT IS NOW ESTIMATED AT $50 MILLION WHICH WILL BE SHARED BY THE FOUNDATION, THE ASSOCIATION AND THE GOVERNMENT.

A WELL-KNOWN LOCAL PHILANTHROPIST. MR. KWOK TAK-SENG, HAS DONATED $10 MILLION AS A PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TO ENABLE THE PROJECT TO GET OFF THE GROUND.

RECURRENT COST OF THE CENTRE, ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $14 MILLION PER ANNUM, WILL BE BORNE ENTIRELY BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THE PROJECT, WHICH WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE. CONSISTS OF A FIVE-STOREY EXTENSION TO THE EXISTING HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPERATING THEATRES, A CARDIAC LABORATORY, INTENSIVE CARE UNITS AS WELL AS OTHER SUPPORTING SERVICES.

THE FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED WILL ENABLE THE HOSPITAL TO INCREASE ITS HEART OPERATIONS AND TO STRENGTHEN ITS CARDIAC INVESTIGATORY SERVICES.

A TEMPORARY CARDIAC CATHETERISATION LABORATORY IS TO BE SET UP AT THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS AN INTERIM MEASURE TO COPE WITH THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH HEART PROBLEMS WHO ARE IN NEED OF INVESTIGATION AND REMEDIAL TREATMENT.

THE HOSPITAL HAS BEEN TRAINING A TEAM OF SPECIAL STAFF IN ANTICIPATION OF THE LAUNCHING OF THIS PROJECT, SOME OF WHOM ARE ALREADY ON THE JOB WHILE OTHERS WILL BE RETURNING FROM OVERSEAS VERY SHORTLY.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

THE CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ANNEXE TO THE GOVERNMENT-SUBVENTED GRANTHAM HOSPITAL WILL BE SIGNED TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) AT THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL AT 5 P.M.

YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE SIGNING CEREMONY.

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