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HAY LING CHAU LEPROSARIUM

(Sce table 70)

158. This leprosarium, situated on an island six miles from Hong Kong and maintained by the Leprosy Mission, with the aid of a Government recurrent subvention of $700,000, provides accommoda- tion for 540 leprosy patients and special facilities for those who require reconstructive surgery or who are suffering from intercurrent disease.

In therapy, diamino-diphenyl-sulphone remained the drug of initial choice, but vadrine has been used with effect in patients who have chropic reactions or who are not responding to other drugs. A combination of diamino-diphenyl-sulphope or of intra-muscular sulphe- trone with thìambutasone has proved effective for a number of patients who show little respouse to a single drug.

HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR REHABILITATION, KWUN TONG

REHABILITATION CENTRE

160. This centre, aided by Government by a recurrent grant of over $500,000, accommodating eighty paticats, has occupational workshops and facilities for physiotherapy and for the manufacture of prostheses. It is designed to assist in the quick return to employment of those who bave been injured, particularly in industrial accidents.

VI. DEVELOPMENT

(See table 71)

FORWARD PLANNING

161. Reference has been made previously in this report to the unparalleled hospital development of the past 15 years. However, the population has also been increasing very rapidly and there is still considerable pressure on most categories of hospital beds, particularly those for acute and chronic general and mental patients. The White Paper on Development of Medical Services in Hong Kong, which was tabled in Legislative Council in February 1964, outlined the medical problems of the Colony and made suggestions to remedy deficiencies in order to produce, in the face of a rapidly increasing population, a reasonably satisfactory standard of medical facilities. Developments have to take into account the ability of the community to afford these facilities oither by direct payment or by indirect payment by means of taxation. The Working Party which prepared the White Paper was re-

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constituted by His Excellency the Governor as the Medical Develop- meat Plan Standing Committee. The Director of Medical and Health Services is its Chairman and the Committee comprises two nominated members of the Legislative Council and representatives of the Medical and Health Department, the Finance Branch of the Colonial Secretariat, and, when necessary, the Public Works Department. The Committee has beld 23 meetings since its inception, in order to keep the recommenda- tions made in the White Paper under continuous administrative review and to report its conclusions on all major matters to Government through the Medical Advisory Board. The Committee's activities fall into five main categories, namely development of medical institutions; staffing of such institutions; subventions to Government-assisted institu- tions; fees and charges; and improved utilization of existing medical facilities. Details of these activities may be found in the Committee's annual report to the Legislative Council.

162. The principal matters considered by the Committee during the year under review were: the alterations to and extensions of Queen Mary Hospital aimed at ensuring that an acute highly specialised teach- ing hospital of 1,080 beds will be fully provided before the end of 1968; the progress made with the provision of a new 1,100-bed general hospital at Lai Chi Kok; the planning of a new convalescent block in the grounds of Kowloon Hospital; the adequacy of the present psychi- atric services, a new mental hospital of approximately 1,000 beds being approved; the review of fees and charges at Government hospitals and clinics, a matter still under consideration at the end of the year, and in regard to which no carly decision is likely; and the subventions paid to Government assisted institutions.

163. Other matters of importance concerned the re-development of the complex of old medical buildings at Sai Ying Pun, the plans or suggestions made by various organizations to assist Government to provide medical care, and review of the need for general and specialist clinics to meet the aims laid down in the Medical Development Plan.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

164. The year 1965-66 saw the completion of a number of major additions to the Colony's medical and bealth services. Although most of these have been mentioned elsewhere in this report, it is appropriate to summarize them in this chapter,

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