XN000022-1979-11-03 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1979

+1 MIGHT ADD THAT THIS GROWTH OWES MUCH TO THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT THERE ARE SUCH DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES FROM BOTH COUNTRIES AT THIS CONGRESS.

+HONG KONG'S SUCCESS IS ALSO DUE TO THE RESILIENCE, INGENUITY AND CAPACITY FOR HARD WORK OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+FOR ITS STORY IS THE RESPONSE OF ITS PEOPLE TO THE CHALLENGE OF A POPULATION INCREASE FROM 600 000 AFTER THE WAR TO NEARLY FIVE MILLION TODAY A CHALLENGE WHICH HAS HAD TO BE MET WITH NO NATURAL RESOURCES EXCEPT A HARBOUR AND WITHOUT A SCRAP OF AID. NATURALLY IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE WAS OVERWHELMED, AND NATURALLY IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES STILL MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE, AND YOU MAY WELL SEE CONDITIONS THAT OFFEND YOU. BUT ALSO IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE PROUD OF WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED TO LIFT THE COMMUNITY OUT OF THE CONDITIONS THRUST UPON IT BY MASSIVE IMMIGRATION.

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+THUS OUR HISTORY HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE CONDITIONS CREATED BY AN INFLUX OF POPULATION INTO A TERRITORY WHICH IS VERY SMALL AND WHICH HAS SO LITTLE BUILDING LAND. SHEER DETERMINATION TO SURVIVE PRODUCED INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND TRADE, AND ON THE ECONOMY SO CREATED THE GOVERNMENT HAS GRADUALLY, AND LATTERLY MORE RAPIDLY, BUILT THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS LACKING. HOPE THAT DURING YOUR VISIT YOU WILL SEE SOMETHING OF WHAT WE ARE DOING TO ESCAPE FROM THE CROWDED CONDITIONS OF THE OLD TOWN BY BUILDING NEW TOWNS LITERALLY FROM THE SEA I HOPE YOU WILL SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING TO PROVIDE FREE AND UNIVERSAL EDUCATION, AND HEAR ABOUT THE SORT OF SAFETY NET OF SOCIAL SECURITY DEVISED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO FAIL IN THIS COMPETITIVE SOCIETY OBTAIN SUPPORT AND CARE IF THEY NEED IT.

+BUT YOU ARE DOCTORS, SO YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IN PUBLIC HEALTH THE SAME ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE AS IN THE ECONOMY. FOR INSTANCE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS INFANT MORTALITY PER 1 000 LIVE BIRTHS HAS DROPPED FROM 33 TO 11.8. THE TB DEATH RATE PER 100 000 HAS DROPPED FROM 41.1 TO 11.8, AND WITH BCG VACCINATION COVERING 98 PER CENT OF ALL BABIES, TUBERCULOSIS IS NOW VERY RARE AMONG CHILDREN UNDER 15. EXPECTATION OF LIFE ITSELF HAS INCREASED FROM 65-70 FOR MEN AND 72 - 77 FOR WOMEN, AND SPEAKING AS A 62 YEAR OLD THIS SEEMS TO ME A PARTICULARLY PRAISEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENT.

+I HOPE YOU WILL SEE SOMETHING OF OUR VERY LARGE AND ESTABLISHED MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, AND HEAR OF THE PLANS FOR A NEW SCHOOL TO BE OPENED SHORTLY IN THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY.

+THERE ARE FIELDS OF MEDICINE IN WHICH I BELIEVE THAT THE PROFESSION IN HONG KONG EXCELS AND OTHERS IN WHICH NO DOUBT THERE ARE DELEGATES WITH MUCH TO TEACH US. YOUR COLLEAGUES FROM CHINA I AM SURE WILL HAVE A FRESH AND INTERESTING CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE CONSIDERING THE VAST ADVANCE THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE HEALTH OF THEIR ENORMOUS COUNTRY.

/+YOU HAVE