XN000022-1991-10-12 — Page 2

SATURDA", OCTOBER 12. 1991

MAJOR REFORM WILL BRING ABOUT MUCH IMPROVED HOSPITAL SERVICE

THE DEPUTY ΤΟ THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT HONG KONG IS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A MAJOR REFORM OF THE ENTIRE HOSPITAL SERVICE WHICH WILL BRING ABOUT A MUCH IMPROVED AND COST EFFECTIVE SERVICE FOR ITS PEOPLE.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 17TH CONGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION OF MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS IN ASIA AND OCEANIA, SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG WAS CENTRALISING AND REFORMING THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS UNDER AN INDEPENDENT HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.

"SUCH MAJOR CHANGES ARE NEVER EASY BUT WE ARE MOST ENCOURAGED BY PROGRESS SO FAR AND ALREADY IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS 44 PER CENT OF THE 33,000 STAFF INVOLVED HAVE ELECTED ΤΟ TRANSFER ΤΟ THE TERMS OFFERED BY THE NEW HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ALSO CONTINUE ΤΟ BUILD то MEET THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR TREATMENT CLOSE TO WHERE THEY LIVE.

"THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL, A TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE NEW TOWN OF SHA TIN, WAS OPENED IN 1984 AND TWO MAJOR NEW HOSPITALS WILL OPEN IN TWO YEARS.

"THE NEWEST HOSPITAL AT TUEN MUN WAS COMMISSIONED IN LAST YEAR. AND THE PAMELA YOUDE HOSPITAL AT THE EASTERN END OF KONG ISLAND WILL BE OPENED IN MID-1993, HE SAID.

"

NOTING THAT HONG KONG HAD MADE TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENTS MEDICAL CARE OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES, SIR DAVID SAID HERE EXPECTANCY WAS AMONG THE HIGHEST AND THE INFANT MORTALITY LOWEST IN THE WORLD.

MARCH

HONG

IN

ITS

LIFE

THE AMONG THE

DIPHTHERIA

AND, MANY CHILDHOOD COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SUCH AS AND POLIOMYELITIS, COMMON IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, HAD BEEN COMPLETELY ERADICATED HERE, HE ADDED.

FOR INTERNATIONAL

SIR DAVID PRAISED THE HONG KONG MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR HOSTING THE CONGRESS WHICH PROVIDED AN IDEAL FORUM EXCHANGES IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.

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