XN000022-1979-11-12 — Page 2

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1979

CONTRACT FOR SHA TIN TEACHING HOSPITAL SIGNED

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY) AWARDED A $326 MILLION CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHA TIN TEACHING HOSPITAL ON A RECLAIMED LAND IN THE EASTERN PART OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN.

THE CONTRACT WHICH WENT TO TECHNIC CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD. IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LET BY PWD IN RECENT YEARS.

IT WAS FORMALLY SIGNED BY MR. S.C. KWAN, CHIEF ARCHITECT OF PWD'S ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE, AND MR. CHIU SZE-DUEN OF TECHNIC CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD.

MR. KWAN SAID THE CONTRACT FORMED THE SECOND PHASE OF THE HOSPITAL PROJECT.

+WORK ON PHASE I, COMPRISING SITE PREPARATION AND CAISSON FOUNDATION WORK, COSTING ABOUT $41 MILLION, HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETED, + HE SAID.

+WORK ON THE NEW CONTRACT WILL BEGIN EARLY NEXT MONTH AND WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO COMPLETE.+

MR. KWAN SAID THE CONTRACT COVERED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF A THREE-STOREY SPECIALIST CLINIC BLOCK, A MAIN WARD BLOCK, A SPECIAL WARD BLOCK AND A CLINICAL SCIENCE BLOCK ALL OF WHICH ARE 12 STOREYS HIGH, THE TOTAL FLOOR AREA IS ABOUT 110 000 SQUARE METRES.

RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS FOR ABOUT 2 000 MEDICAL STAFF AND STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE BUILT, BUT UNDER A SEPARATE CONTRACT TO BE LET BY PWD IN MAY NEXT YEAR.

THE DESIGN FOR THE HOSPITAL WAS BASED ON THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL STANDARD WARD PLAN AND IT WAS PREPARED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

WHEN FULLY COMPLETED IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1982, MR. KWAN SAID, THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL WOULD HAVE 1 400 BEDS AND SERVE 700 000 PEOPLE IN THE EASTERN AREA OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE HOSPITAL WILL PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH FACILITIES FOR BOTH GENERAL AND SPECIALIST SERVICES INCLUDING OUT-PATIENTS AND CASUALTY SERVICES AND TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER HOSPITALISATION.

IT WILL ALSO BE THE TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR THE MEDICAL FACULTY OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, PROVIDING CLINICAL TRAINING FOR 300 MEDICAL STUDENTS.

THE TOTAL BUILDING COST FOR THIS HOSPITAL IS $425 MILLION, EXCLUDING THE COST OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE, AND IS PARTLY FINANCED BY THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK.

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