XN000022-1989-03-08 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1989

"THE EXPANSION OF OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM, BEFORE 1974 AND SINCE, HAD TO TAKE PLACE OVER A PERIOD DURING WHICH THERE WERE SEVERAL MAJOR AND UNEXPECTED INFLUXES OF PEOPLE, WHICH HAVE LED HONG KONG'S POTION TO INCREASE FROM TWO MILLION IN 1951 TO THE PRESENT 5.7 FINN, MR CHUU SAID.

1

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THE MOST RECENT SUCH INFLUX WAS THAT WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE LATE 1970'S, WHEN SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE ENTERED HONG KONG IN THE SPACE OF A FEW YEARS.

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IS IT AD WONDER THEN THAT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP PACE 1 LACED UPON IT?" HE SAID.

THE WITH

HOSPITAL BUILDING PROGRAMME THE EVER-INCREASING DEMANDS

IR CHAU POINTED OUT THAT THE DAUNTING PROBLEMS THE PUBLIC IOSPITAL SYSTEM HAD HAD TO FACE HAD CERTAINLY NOT COME ABOUT BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT HAD HELD BACK SPENDING ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.

AN

EXPENDITURE ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES HAD GROWN BY 1064 PER CENT SINCE 1974, WHEN THE WHITE PAPER WAS ISSUED, REPRESENTING INCREASE IN REAL TERMS OF 388 PER CENT.

HR CHAU SAID IT WOULD CONSTITUTE 8.9 PER CENT OF TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR.

ALLOCATED

THE PROPORTION OF TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE

то MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES WAS EXPECTED TO RISE FURTHER TO OVER 11 PER CENT IN 1992/93.

ON TRAINING, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD INVESTED AND WOULD CONTINUE TO INVEST HEAVILY

IN THE TRAINING OF THE WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONALS VITAL TO THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.

SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE 1974 WHITE PAPER, A SECOND MEDICAL SCHOOL HAD OPENED AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, TWO NEW SCHOOLS OF GENERAL NURSING HAD BEEN COMMISSIONED AT THE PRINCESS MARGARET AND PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITALS AND THE TRAINING OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSES HAD BEEN EXPANDED AT CASTLE PEAK HOSPITAL.

THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC NOW PROVIDED COURSES LOCALLY FOR THE TRAINING OF A WIDE RANGE OF PARAMEDICAL STAFF.

FOR THE FUTURE, THE RECENT REPORT BY THE WORKING PARTY ON POST- GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING RECOMMENDED THE ESTABLISHMENT

AN ACADEMY OF MEDICINE TO ENABLE HONG KONG SELF-SUFFICIENT ALSO IN THE FURTHER TRAINING OF DOCTORS TO

OF

LEVEL.

TO BECOME SPECIALIST

MR CHAU SAID HE DISAGREED WITH THOSE ALLEGATIONS THAT PATIENTS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS WERE BEING VICTIMISED OR EXPLOITED. "BUT 1 DO BELIEVE THAT THEY MUST BE PLACED IN THEIR PROPER CONTEXT, HE SAID.

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/"ALL THAT

J

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