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vote from the appointed Members. It seems that whether we (that is, elected Members and the public) like it or not, appointed Members will continue to play a decisive role in all the important matters relating to the Urban Council.
While the councils at various levels in Britain no longer have appointed Members, the Urban Council in its existing form in Hong Kong, under the administration of the British, is but to make a mockery of the British system.
Following, I would speak on water restriction. First of all, Mr. Tucker, please give us 24-hour water supply!
On New Year's Day when I saw on television the English revellers taking traditional dips in fountains to celebrate the coming of 1982, my feeling was that while the whole of England was in jubilation during the New Year, Hong Kong was still having to suffer from water restrictions.
The Water Supplies Department announced on January 2 that the combined storage in the reservoirs at the time of announcement was about 45% of the total capacity and this would last another seven months. The insistence on prolonged water restrictions is obviously causing unnecessary inconvenience to the public in view of the fact that we can get supply from Dongjiang and the very expensive desalters and that the rainy season will come in less than three months' time.
In fact, it is doubtful whether the restrictions have cut consumption by 20% as claimed by the 'Water Officials'. People usually store more, rather than less, water for cooking and washing purposes. Moreover, when supply resumes at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., the water is usually turbid and sometimes even contains tiny particles. Such water cannot be used and indeed is wasted. How can we save water by 20%?
What is most worrying is the hygiene problem. Owing to the restrictions, the standard of cleanliness of various food premises, particularly the cooked food stalls which cater for most people, surely will be lowered. As a result, more people will suffer from intestine and stomach troubles. Were the Chinese not used to eating cooked food, the effect on public health would be more serious.
That's why I entreat you, Mr. Tucker, to give us 24-hour water supply promptly!
The second point I would like to say is:
The Medical & Health Department should face the realities of the day and completely solve the problem of doctor shortage.
Following two patients dying from wounds in Government clinics, both the public and the Government begin to regard with concern the medical service in Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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131
Doctor shortage has been an outstanding issue for a long time. I have read about thirty Annual Reports of the Medical and Health Department issued after 1946. In the first 25 years, the gravity of the shortage problem was emphatically stated. But starting from 1971, the Reports made no such reference. In the past few years, I could no longer buy the Reports anywhere.
Of course, the fact that the Annual Reports make no mention of the shortage or that they are no longer for sale does not mean that Hong Kong is no longer short of medical officers.
Last month, the Chief Secretary stated in his speech that in 1990, that is eight years later, the Government would fall short of 1200 doctors. On the other hand, a group which is much concerned about the medical service has pointed out that the casualty departments in Government hospitals are seriously understaffed and inadequately equipped. In the Youth Forum held on 21 December 1981, the President of the Association of Government Doctors revealed that the actual shortage of medical staff was not 8% but 25% (according to the standards set by the Government-appointed Medical Development Advisory Committee).
I shall waste no time in repeating their statistics but the 8% shortage claimed by the Medical and Health Department is obviously inaccurate.
The Medical and Health Department which usually reports good news only, very often advertises the great number of cases handled each year by Government hospitals, by their casualty and general out-patient departments. Besides, great emphasis is put on the ten-year development plan, for instance, the construction of one hospital every two years. Thus a very rosy picture is painted to the people.
Touching on the solution of the doctor shortage problem, the spokesman for the Medical and Health Department even claimed that Hong Kong was 'the only city in the world with licentiate examination for medical practitioners'. This is most ludicrous. In America and European countries, there are organizations holding such examinations; England is no exception. As far as I know, in London alone, there are two organizations responsible for the licentiate examination of doctors. One holds 11 examinations each year while the other holds four. The licentiate examination in Hong Kong consists of three parts and is held only once a year. The way our examinations are held is indeed unique throughout the world.
As the medical authorities are largely medical practitioners, they should know that it is wrong to hide one's sickness for fear of treatment. On the contrary, therefore, they should shoulder the responsibility to solve, in a careful and serious manner, the pressing issue of doctor shortage.
Accordingly, I propose:
(1) To employ a large number of unregistered doctors who have had proper formal training, to meet the urgent needs.
Page 87 of 146
Page 87 of 146
130
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
vote from the appointed Members. It seems that whether we (that is, elected Members and the public) like it or not, appointed Members will continue to play a decisive role in all the important matters relating to the Urban Council.
While the councils at various levels in Britain no longer have appointed Members, the Urban Council in its existing form in Hong Kong, under the administration of the British, is but to make a mockery of the British system.
Following, I would speak on water restriction. First of all, Mr. Tucker, please give us 24-hour water supply!
On New Year's Day when I saw on television the English revellers taking traditional dips in fountains to celebrate the coming of 1982, my feeling was that while the whole of England was in jubilation during the New Year, Hong Kong was still have to suffer from water restrictions.
The Water Supplies Department announced on January 2 that the combined storage in the reservoirs at the time of announcement was about 45% of the total capacity and this would last another seven months. The insistence on prolonged water restrictions is obviously causing unnecessary inconvenience to the public in view of the fact that we can get supply from Dongjiang and the very expensive desalters and that the rainy season will come in less than three months' time.
In fact, it is doubtful whether the restrictions have cut consumption by 20% as claimed by the 'Water Officials'. People usually store more, rather than less, water for cooking and washing purposes. Moreover, when supply resumes at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., the water is usually turbid and sometimes even contains tiny particles. Such water cannot be used and indeed is wasted. How can we save water by 20%?
What is most worrying is the hygiene problem. Owing to the restrictions, the standard of cleanliness of various food premises, particularly the cooked food stalls which cater for most people, surely will be lowered. As a result, more people will suffer from intestine and stomach troubles. Were the Chinese not used to eating cooked food, the effect on public health would be more serious.
That's why I entreat you, Mr. TUCKER, to give us 24-hour water supply promptly!
The second point I would like to say is:
The Medical & Health Department should face the realities of the day and completely solve the problem of doctor shortage.
Following two patients dying from wounds in Government clinics, both the public and the Government begin to regard with concern the medical service in Hong Kong.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 87 of 146
131
Doctor shortage has been an outstanding issue for a long time. I have read about thirty Annual Reports of the Medical and Health Department issued after 1946. In the first 25 years, the gravity of the shortage problem was emphatically stated. But starting from 1971, the Reports made no such reference. In the past few years, I could no longer buy the Reports anywhere.
Of course, the fact that the Annual Reports make no mention of the shortage or that they are no longer for sale does not mean that Hong Kong is no longer short of medical officers.
Last month, the Chief Secretary stated in his speech that in 1990, that is eight years later, the Government would fall short of 1200 doctors. On the other hand, a group which is much concerned about the medical service has pointed out that the casualty departments in Government hospitals are seriously understaffed and inadequately equipped. In the Youth Forum held on 21 December 1981, the President of the Association of Government Doctors revealed that the actual shortage of medical staff was not 8% but 25% (according to the standards set by the Government appointed Medical Development Advisory Committee).
I shall waste no time in repeating their statistics but the 8% shortage claimed by the Medical and Health Department is obviously inaccurate.
The Medical and Health Department which usually reports good news only, very often advertises the great number of cases handled each year by Government hospitals, by their casualty and general out-patient departments. Besides, great emphasis is put on the ten-year development plan, for instance, the construction of one hospital every two years. Thus a very rosy picture is painted to the people.
Touching on the solution of the doctor shortage problem, the spokesman for the Medical and Health Department even claimed that Hong Kong was 'the only city in the world with licentiate examination for medical practitioners'. This is most ludicrous. In America and European countries, there are organizations holding such examinations; England is no exception. As far as I know, in London alone, there are two organizations responsible for the licentiate examination of doctors. One holds 11 examinations each year while the other holds four. The licentiate examination in Hong Kong consists of three parts and is held only once a year. The way our examinations are held is indeed unique throughout the world.
As the medical authorities are largely medical practitioners, they should know that it is wrong to hide one's sickness for fear of treatment. On the contrary, therefore, they should shoulder the responsibility to solve, in a careful and serious manner, the pressing issue of doctor shortage.
Accordingly, I propose:
(1) To employ a large number of unregistered doctors who have had proper
formal training, to meet the urgent needs.
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