XN000022-1982-11-11 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1982

ON THE QUESTION OF WHY THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT PROVIDED A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, DR THONG REFERRED TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1979 REVIEW OF THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, WHICH STATED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIALIST HOSPITALS IS NOT ADVISABLE BECAUSE THEY TEND TO BE ISOLATED FROM THE GENERAL BODY OF MEDICINE AND LACK THE SUPPORT OF OTHER DISCIPLINES, AND THEY ALSO GIVE RISE TO UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF FACILITIES AND EXPERTISE, RESTRICT FLEXIBILITY IN USE AND OFTEN LEAD TO UNDER-UTILISATION IN SOME AREAS.+

HE SAID IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG, IT WAS ONLY LOGICAL TO AIM FOR THE PROVISION OF GOOD AND UP-TO-DATE PAEDIATRIC FACILITIES ATTACHED TO GENERAL HOSPITALS, RATHER THAN TO PROVIDE FOR SPECIALIST HOSPITALS ON THEIR OWN IN ANY SPECIFIC LOCATIONS.

+OUR PRESENT PLANS INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MODERN AND WELL-EQUIPPED PAEDIATRIC FACILITIES SUCH AS MOTHER-CHILD ROOMS FOR THE BENEFIT OF SICK CHILDREN WITHIN THE EXTENSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE GENERAL HOSPITALS, HE ADDED.

DR THONG ALSO OUTLINED THE LATEST SITUATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME,

THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE PUPILS UNDER THE SCHEME STOOD AT 805 497 AT THE END OF MARCH 1982. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PUPILS TAKING PART IN THE SCHEME IN THE PAST FINANCIAL YEAR WAS 244 864 REPRESENTING A PARTICIPATION RATE OF 30.4 PER CENT, THIS INDICATED AN INCREASE OF 18 PER CENT OVER THE FIGURES IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING DOCTORS IN THE SCHEME WAS 232, COMPARED WITH 211 - AN INCREASE OF TEN PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. DR THONG SAID THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD ENVISAGES THAT ONE IN THREE ELIGIBLE PUPILS WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME BY EARLY NEXT YEAR.

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