XN000022-1979-07-25 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1979

WORK ON MODERN HEART DISEASE CENTRE

TO START SOON *****

THE CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MODERN CARDIO-THORACIC CENTRE IN WONG CHUK HANG, WAS SIGNED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

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INITIAL WORK ON THE PROJECT, INVOLVING SITE FORMATION, IS TO START SOON.

THE CENTRE, TO BE BUILT AS AN ANNEXE TO THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL, IS A JOINT PROJECT OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS AND THORACIC DISEASES ASSOCIATION, THE HONG KONG HEART FOUNDATION AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

MR. SEAWARD WOO, CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION, SIGNED THE CONTRACT WHICH WAS AWARDED TO THE HOI SING CONSTRUCTION CO.

WHEN FULLY OPERATIONAL THE CENTRE WILL HAVE 600 BEDS AND WILL PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED CARDIAC DIAGNOSTIC WORK AND MODERN OPERATING THEATRES FOR CARRYING OUT BOTH OPEN-HEART AND CLOSED-HEART SURGERY.

SPECIALIST LABORATORIES AND INTENSIVE CARE UNITS WILL SUPPORT THE DIAGNOSTIC AND SURGICAL SERVICES, MAKING HONG KONG ONE OF THE MOST MODERN CARDIAC CENTRES IN ASIA.

THE PROJECT WHICH WILL TAKE TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE IS NOW ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $50 MILLION TO BE SHARED BY THE FOUNDATION, THE ASSOCIATION AND THE GOVERNMENT. MR. KWOK TAK-SENG, WELL-KNOWN LOCAL PHILANTHROPIST, HAS DONATED $10 MILLION AS A PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TO ENABLE" THE PROJECT TO GET OFF THE GROUND.

A TEMPORARY CARDIAC CATHETER ISATION 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 AND IN NEED OF INVESTIGATION AND REMEDIAL TREATMENT.

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