XN000022-1994-05-04 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1994

"THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT WILL ENSURE THAT PAVING BLOCK PAVEMENTS ARE LAID WITH DUE REGARD TO THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM, AND THAT ANY DEFECTS IN ANY TYPE OF PAVING WILL BE REPAIRED PROMPTLY ΤΟ AVOID RAT INFESTATION.

"USD AND RSD HAVE ALSO INSTRUCTED THEIR BEAT SWEEPERS AND PEST CONTROL STAFF TO REPORT DEFECTIVE PAVEMENTS то THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT," HE ADDED.

CROSS BORDER BUS AND COACH SERVICES

* * *

CROSS BORDER BUS AND COACH SERVICES WERE SUBJECT то QUOTAS JOINTLY AGREED AND ADMINISTERED BY THE HONG KONG AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER BARMA, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HOWARD YOUNG, MR BARMA SAID: *THERE ARE AT PRESENT 471 SUCH QUOTAS, EACH OF WHICH ALLOWS ONE ROUND TRIP A DAY AND THESE ARE SUFFICIENT TO MEET NORMAL DEMAND.

"ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY QUOTAS ARE ALLOCATED FOR PERIODS OF EXCEPTIONAL DEMAND, FOR EXAMPLE, ON CERTAIN PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVE DAYS."

OPERATE

IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, 11 APPLICATIONS FOR QUOTAS TO CROSS BORDER BUS AND COACH SERVICES HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN DUE TO VARIOUS REASONS.

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CLINICS TREAT 4.6M PATIENTS

A TOTAL OF 4,659,678 PATIENTS ATTENDED THE 59 GENERAL OUT- PATIENT CLINICS OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN 1993, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HER WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-YA, MRS WONG SAID OF THESE PATIENTS, 3,942,437 WERE FOR MEDICAL CONSULTATION AND THE REST FOR NURSING SERVICES, THAT IS, INJECTIONS AND DRESSINGS.

"ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE MEDICAL CONSULTATIONS COMPRISED PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES REQUIRING REGULAR FOLLOW-UP, THE REST WERE PATIENTS WITH ACUTE AILMENTS SEEKING PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE, SHB SAID.

PI

ALSO 93,971 PATIENTS ATTENDING GENERAL OUT-PATIENT CLINICS WERE REFERRED TO SPECIALIST CLINICS AND 29,209 TO ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICE OF HOSPITALS UNDER THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.

/"THIS CONSTITUTES