XN000022-1981-10-27 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1981

FROM THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN WORKING TOGETHER, MEMBERS OF THE EDMC ARE NOW GEARED TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE SUPPORT TO THE NEW DISTRICT BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD TO BE HELD IN THE MANSION STREET YOUTH CENTRE, MODEL LANE, NORTH POINT AT 10 AM TOMORROW (OCTOBER 28). MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARD WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW AT 9.45 AM.

MEANWHILE, COPIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES OF THE NEWLY-APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS MAY BE COLLECTED FROM GIS PRESS BOXES LATER TODAY.

BIG JUMP IN GRANTS TO HOSPITALS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SUBVENTED HOSPITALS BY MORE THAN 20 TIMES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS IN RECOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTION BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE IN HONG KONG.

THIS WAS STATED BY DR S.H. LEE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, AT A MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PAST AND PRESENT DIRECTORS OF THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON.

THE AMOUNT OF SUBVENTION TO THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES JUMPED FROM $22M IN 1960 TO $476M LAST YEAR, HE SAID.

DR LEE SAID HONG KONG IS UNIQUE IN THAT MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE IS PROVIDED THROUGH THE JOINT EFFORTS OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT.

VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE OF HONG KONG BY PROVIDING A FULL RANGE OF PREVENTIVE, CURATIVE AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES.

+WITHOUT THE IR ASSISTANCE THE OVERALL MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE

IN HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE SO COMPLETE,+ DR LEE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF SUBVENTED HOSPITALS AND BEDS MORE THAN DOUBLED, AND THE NUMBER OF INPATIENTS TREATED INCREASED BY 150 PER CENT, IN THE PAST 20 YEARS.

DR LEE SAID THAT IN THE NEXT DECADE THERE WOULD BE 3 000 MORE HOSPITAL BEDS FROM THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

*WITH THE POPULATION GROWTH IN HONG KONG AND THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREAS, THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

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