XN000022-1987-09-10 — Page 3

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1987

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GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO IMPROVE MEDICAL SERVICES

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RESPONSIBILITY

TO

THE GOVERNMENT TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY ITS

IT PROVIDES FOR IMPROVE CONTINUALLY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

ADDRESSING THE CENTENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE FACULTY OF

SIR DAVID SAID THERE MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG,

WAS STILL MUCH TO BE DONF IF FUTURE DEMAND BE MET AND TARGETS ACHIEVED.

"WE WILL GO SOME WAY TOWARDS THIS BY THE ADDITION OF 7,000 MORE HOSPITAL BEDS IN THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, HE SAID.

M

"BUT I HOPE ALSO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE RESPONSIVE

OF EXPECTATIONS

OUR PEOPLE, AND TO THE CHANGING NEEDS AND RISING ENSURE THAT RESOURCES ARE USED AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

IN

MAKING USE OF IN THIS AREA, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE THE REPORT ON THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS 199UED 1985.

INFECTIOUS

STARTING WITH THE SUCCESSFUL

OF CONTAINMENT

THE EFFORTS AND DISEASES OVER THE PAST DECADES, SIR DAVID RECOUNTED

AND SAID THE IMPROVEMENT IN HONG KONG'S MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES RESULT HAD BEEN REMARKABLE.

IN 1965, HONG KONG'S INFANT MORTALITY RATE STOOD THOUSAND LIVE BIRTHS AND IN 1986 IT FELL TO 7.6.

AT 60.9 PER

CORRESPONDINGLY, THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE DROPPED PER THOUSAND TOTAL BIRTHS IN 1956 TO 0.03 IN 1986.

FROM 0.9

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LIFE "LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS ALSO INCREASED. HONG KONG'S AVERAGE

FOR WOMEN, EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH IS NOW 74 YEARS FOR MEN AND 79 YEARS SIR DAVID SAID.

WORLD "THESE HEALTH INDICES ARE OUTSTANDING BY

STANDARDS. IN GREATER THAN IN THE 1984, LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HONG KONG WAS

UNITED KINGDOM BY 1.6 YEARS FOR MEN AND 1.4

AND WOMEN;

GREATER THAN IN THE UNITED STATES BY 2.1 YEARS FOR MEN AND 0.7 FOR WOMEN.

YEARS FOR

L

NUMBER OF HOSPITAL ON THE CURATIVE SIDE, SIR DAVID NOTED THE HAD INCREASED BEDS

FOURFOLD FROM ABOUT 6,000 IN 1956 TO OVER 24,500 IN 1986; AND THE CURRENT "BEDS TO POPULATION RATIO" OF 4.4 BEDS PER THOUSAND COMPARED FAVOURABLY WITH FOR INSTANCE SINGAPORE'S 3.9 AND MALAYSIA'S 2.4.

"DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS TREATED IN CLINICS HAS RISEN FROM 2.75 MILLION TO NEARLY 15 MILLION, HE SAID.

"THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE STANDARD

ACQUISITION OF CARE, AS A RESULT OF THE

MORE SOPHISTICATED UP-TO-DATE EQUIPMENT."

OF

AND

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