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V. GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED HOSPITALS

(See table 67)

146. Financial assistance mainly by means of an annual subvention is given by Government to certain voluntary organizations maintaining hospitals in the Colony. Such hospitals, containing a total of 6,109 beds. provide mainly subacute general beds or facilities for persons suffering from certain specific diseases or handicaps. The total Government sub- vention to these hospitals was estimated at 342,713,131 recurrent and $2,299,831 special expenditure during the past financial year.

THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS

147. The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals is a long-established Chinest charitable organization and is managed by a Board of Directors clected annually. During recent years a programme of modernization and expan- sion has been undertaken mainly with the aid of assistance from Government in terms of personnel, especially general practitioner and consultant services, money and material, the former amounting to 326.226,500 recurrent and $1,468,548 capital during the year. The main item in this programme has been the redevelopment of the Kwong Wah Hospital in Kowloon into a modern general hospital of some 1,500 beds: this re-development was finally completed during 1965.

148. The Casualty Department at Kwong Wah Hospital was opened on 5th July, 1965 in order to relieve some of the hoavy pressure on the Casualty Department in Queen Elizabeth Hospital and to provide additional casualty facilities for the public in Kowloon and the New Territories. The Department, initially staffed by nurses and Medical Officers seconded from Government, was finally managed by the Hos- pital's own staff towards the end of the year under review. During the year there were over 60,000 casualty attendances at the Department, and traumatic cases occupied 19.6% of the total attendances,

149. The need for subsidiary beds for long-term patients is one of the major aims of the Medical Development Plan, and the Group is currently undertaking two projects to provide these. The first is the con- struction of a large infirmary at Wong Tai Sin. Phase I of this project providing 350 beds, was completed in 1965 while the foundation stone of Phases II and III to give an overall total of 700 beds was laid in March, 1967. The total cost, including Phase I, is estimated to be $6,269.100 of which $1,536,000 were donated by the Australian World

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Refugee Year Fund, $3,883,100 granted by Government and the remainder raised by the Directors of the Tung Wah Group. Further plans of expan- sion at Wong Tai Sin are under consideration. Construction of a further similar project at Sandy Bay to give 275 beds and replacing 100 beds in the old infirmary was completed in March 1967, when the new in- firmary became operational. This project is estimated to cost $2,250,000 of which 80% was financed by Government.

THE ALICE HO MIU LING NETHERSOLE HOSPITAL

150. This hospital, supported by the London Missionary Society, received a Government subvention of $2,483,358 during the year. Archi- tectural planning has commenced on the establishment of a United Christian Hospital in Kowloon of over 600 beds.

151. Extra quarter for nursing staff was completed during the year and work on further extension and modernization of the hospital is in progress.

POK OI HOSPITAL

152. This charitable hospital at Yuen Long in the New Territories continued a programime of modest expansion, for which Government made a grant of $750,000 available, and subvented the running of the existing hospital by $650,000. The new three-storey central building was completed at the end of 1966 and provides accommodation for 34 mater- nity and 46 paediatric patients to give a total of 162 beds,

CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE

153. This hospital of 490 beds, erected with the aid of donations from Roman Catholic communities in many parts of the world and in particular from the Federal Republic of Germany, and maintained partly with the aid of a Government subvention of $1,824,976 is situated in the densely-populated district of So Uk in North-West Kowloon. It is administered by the Canossan Sisters and comprises three blocks for general, tuberculosis and cancer patients respectively, as well as quarters for staff and a ourses' training school. Plans are under way for further expansion by the provision of a paediatric block of 250 beds. Although certain staffing difficulties were encountered initially, these have been mainly overcome and the hospital is playing a very active part in the provision of medical services in the Colony.

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