XN000022-1980-11-17 — Page 3

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1980

30 YEARS OF AMS SERVICE

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THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE (AMS), WHICH HAS PLAYED AN ESSENTIAL PART IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, IS UNDERGOING TREMENDOUS EXPANSION IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, AT A DINNER THIS EVENING CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMS.

HE SAID AMS SUB-UNITS WERE BEING SET UP IN THE NEW TOWNSHIPS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE MORE REMOTE DISTRICTS SUCH AS LANTAU ISLAND AND TSING YI BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING NEEDS IN THESE AREAS.

+ THE FLAG OF THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE HAS NEVER FLOWN HIGHER THAN TODAY. WHENEVER THERE IS THE CALL OF DUTY FROM THE COMMUNITY, AMS MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS THERE. TO SERVE IRRESPECTIVE OF NIGHT OR DAY, FAIR OR FOUL WEATHER,+ HE SAID.

THE METHADONE TREATMENT SCHEME, FOR INSTANCE, HAS BEEN CONSOLIDATED AND EXPANDED AS A RESULT OF THE AMS'S CONTRIBUTION IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT.

AMS MEMBERS REGULARLY MAN AMBULANCES AT WEEKENDS, ACT AS LIFE GUARDS AT PUBLIC BEACHES AND PROVIDE FIRST-AID COVERAGE AT MAJOR FUNCTIONS.

THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER TODAY WAS ATTENDED BY LOCAL PHILANTHROPIST, SIR SHIU-KIN TANG, AND FORMER DIRECTORS OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES -- DR D.J.M. MACKENZIE AND DR GERALD CHOA, WHO WERE ALSO UNIT CONTROLLERS OF AMS.

DR THONG RECALLED A FEW OCCASIONS WHERE THE AMS SPIRIT WAS SEEN AT ITS BEST DURING THE TIMES OF FORMER CONTROLLERS OF THE SERVICE.

IN THE CHOLERA OUTBREAKS OF 1960-69 WHEN DR MACKENZIE WAS AT THE HELM, AMS MEMBERS ROSE MAGNIFICENTLY TO THE CHALLENGE, MANNING THE VARIOUS QUARANTINE CENTRES, ASSISTING IN MASS

INOCULATIONS AND REINFORCING THE REGULAR NURSING STAFF AT MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.

THEN DURING THE CIVIL DISTURBANCES OF 1967 WHEN FORMER DIRECTOR DR P.H. TENG WAS UNIT CONTROLLER, AMS PERSONNEL WERE MOBILISED TO AUGMENT MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.

+THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT IT WAS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE AMS THAT THE HEALTH SERVICES WERE ABLE TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF REGULAR BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE HOSPITALS AND PROVISION OF FIRST-AID PARTIES AT VARIOUS DUTY LOCATIONS BY AMS PERSONNEL IN SPITE OF GREAT DIFFICULTIES, SAID DR THONG.

HE ALSO