X1000306-1961-62_Part02 — Page 1

The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals

326. In this group there are three hospitals and two infirmaries which accommodate 2,326 beds. Incorporated in 1870 by statute which is based on the charitable aims and objects of Chinese tradition, a Board of Directors is elected annually. Management of the hospitals and infirmaries is delegated by the Board to the Tung Wah Hospital Medical Committee which is under the chairmanship of the Director of Medical and Health Services and is composed of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the three Principal Directors of the Board, a prominent Chinese citizen appointed by His Excellency the Governor, a member from the Permanent Advisers to the Tung Wah Board, representatives from the Government Finance. Public Works and Medical Departments and the Medical Superintendents of the Hospitals. The Board of Directors raises large sums annually from donations, charity functions, public appeals and a flag-day. This money is devoted mainly to capital expenditure on hospitals, primary schools and welfare services for the poor. Government gave a subvention of $12.495,539 in 1961-62 to meet the recurrent expenditure of the hospitals and infirmaries.

327. Each hospital provides general medical, surgical and obstetric facilities. In addition wards containing an average of 250 to 350 beds are set-aside in the hospitals and infirmaries for the accommodation of patients with tuberculosis. A Group Medical Superintendent and three Medical Superintendents are appointed by Government to the hospitals and Government Nursing Sisters are seconded to the Nurses Training school as Tutors. All training and other activities are conducted in Chinese. Consultant Services are given voluntarily by private medical practitioners and, in some instances, by Government Specialists.

328. Patients are admitted through large outpatient departments maintained at each of the three hospitals. A number of acute medical and surgical conditions are treated and there is also accommodation for patients with chronic disease requiring long periods of inpatient care. The infirmaries cater for many suffering from incurable or disabling diseases who cannot be cared for a home. The obstetric service is an extremely busy and important one and one third of the babies born in the Colony each year are delivered in the three Tung Wah Hospitals. The work done is detailed at Appendix 11.

329. The major pre-occupation of the Directors at present is the redevelopment of the Kwong Wah Hospital in Kowloon. The re-building is being done in five phases, the fourth phase starting early in 1962.

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As new wings are being added so the bed accommodation is increasing and with the opening of the North Wing the Kwong Wah Hospital has now 1,153 beds which is an addition of $19 since December, 1960. The ultimate nominal bed strength is to be 1,270 beds and it is anticipated that this redevelopment will be completed by the end of 1963. Plans are also in hand for an extension of the Sandy Bay Infirmary from 86 to 248 beds and for a new Infirmary at Wong Tai Sin which will give accommodation for 200 patients in its first phase. The Tung Wah and Tung Wah Eastern hospitals on Hong Kong Island have 630 and 336 beds respectively.

The Alice Ho Min Ling Nellersole Hospital

330. This hospital of 281 beds on Hong Kong Island offers general medical, surgical and obstetric care and maintains a busy outpatient department. The senior members of the medical staff are appointed by the London Missionary Society which also contributes annually towards recurrent costs. There are specialists in clinical charge of the surgical, medical and obstetric departments of the hospital.

331. During the year, two Government representatives were appointed to the Hospital Executive Committee and arrangements have now been made to grant the annual subvention from public funds on a doficiency grant basis. At the same time, approval in principle has been given for the construction of a new East Wing containing mainly paediatric beds, additional accommodation for the Nurses Training School for female staff quarters and for new Medical Staff Quarters. 332. Generous donations have been made by private individuals towards these developments. In addition, there is considerable voluntary support given annually towards recurrent costs which are augmented by hospital fees and a block grant-in-aid from Government funds. The hospital provides low cost in-patient care for the lower and middle in- come groups in the Chinese population and in this field it meets a particularly clamant need.

Pak Of Hospital

333. Situated on the outskirts of Yuen Long in the New Territories the Pok Oi Hospital provides 118 beds for the treatment of medical and minor surgical illnesses that do not require specialist medical or surgical care. There are operating theatre, radio-diagnostic and labora- tory facilities. It is managed by an Executive Committee consisting of six representatives of the statutory Board of Directors and six representatives of Government. The Board of Directors provides

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