XN000022-1980-01-25 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1980

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA TO VISIT HOSPITAL

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YOUNG PATIENTS IN THE PAEDIATRIC WARD OF PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA NEXT MONTH.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WILL VISIT THE HOSPITAL ON FEBRUARY 8 AND SEE SOME OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PAEDIATRIC WARD, ONE OF THE MAIN UNITS OF PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL.

THIS REGIONAL HOSPITAL OF THE WEST NEW TERRITORIES, EQUIPPED WITH MANY TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED INSTRUMENTS, WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEDICAL PROJECTS COMPLETED DURING THE 70S.

THE HOSPITAL COMPLEX, OCCUPYING A SITE OF MORE THAN 27 ACRES ON THE PROMONTORY AT LAI CHI KOK, CONSISTS OF A PSYCHIATRIC WING, A GENERAL WING AND COMBINED STAFF QUARTERS.

THE GENERAL WING OF THE HOSPITAL WAS OPENED IN 1975 AND PROVIDES MEDICAL SERVICES TO RESIDENTS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, WHERE THE POPULATION IS APPROACHING ONE MILLION AS A RESULT OF THE GROWTH OF NEW TOWNS.

THE HOSPITAL'S CASUALTY DEPARTMENT BEGAN ROUND-THE-CLOCK SERVICES IN APRIL 1977 AND NOW HANDLES AN AVERAGE OF 350 EMERGENCY CASES DAILY,

SOME $20 MILLION WAS SPENT ON EQUIPMENT FOR THE VARIOUS UNITS OF THE HOSPITAL.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL ALSO BE BRIEFED ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE HOSPITAL SUCH AS THE THEATRE SERVICE CENTRE, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG. THIS CENTRALISED SYSTEM PROVIDES STERILE PRE-SET TRAYS, UTENSILS AND MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUMENTS FOR USE IN ANY SURGICAL OPERATION PERFORMED IN ALL THE NINE OPERATING THEATRES WITHIN THE HOSPITAL.

PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL HAS EMBARKED ON A NEW ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH A GERIATRIC UNIT WITHIN A GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS UNIT IS TO DEAL WITH THE CLINICAL, PREVENTIVE, REHABILITATIONAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF ILLNESS AMONG THE ELDERLY.

A +DAY HOSPITAL IS ALSO SET UP FOR DISCHARGED OLD PEOPLE WHO MAY RETURN FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION, PHYSIOTHERAPY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY.

ANOTHER FEATURE OF THE HOSPITAL IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE UNIT — ANOTHER FIRST IN A GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL. OPERATIONS ON DISFIGURED PEOPLE ARE PERFORMED TO RESTORE THEIR FUNCTIONING POWER.

OTHER UNITS IN THE HOSPITAL INCLUDE OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, HAEMODIALYSIS AND PAEDIATRICS.

IN ITS FOUR YEARS OF OPERATION, THE HOSPITAL HAS TREATED SOME 232 000 IN-PATIENTS IN ADDITION TO OVER 350 000 CASUALTY CASES.

THE PSYCHIATRIC