Page 25 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

DIVISION FOR SOCIAL SERVICE

The Division for Social Service is concerned with welfare
schemes of all kinds and also with tackling the causes of social
ills at the roots.
Committee for a United Christian Hospital and the United Christian
Hospitals
In the year under review, the United Christian Hospital moved
a number of steps toward becoming a reality.
Capital funds availability improved with affirmative decisions
by the Hong Kong Government and Jockey Club Charities Ltd. to make
grants of HK$8.5 million and $3 million respectively. With the
previous commitment of HK$5.2 million from the overseas mission
groups, and HK$5 million from the Central Agency for Development
Aid of the German Protestant Churches, the total assured funds
now amounts to HK$21.7 million. However Hong Kong has unfortunately
seen a very steep inflationary spiral in building costs, with some
levelling off having occurred in the last few months. Therefore
the Hong Kong Christian Council is undertaking a local fund-raising
drive, seeking $6 million, which must be raised if the hospital is
to be completed. The churches, with good cooperation from the
Chinese Christian Churches Union, have accepted a HK$2 million
share out of the $6 million goal. Suitable methods for honoring
donors had been devised such as naming of a room, ward, etc.
The constitution for the permanent operational body, the
United Christian Hospitals, was completed with the Hong Kong
Christian Council designating the majority of the members of the
Board of Directors (eight out of fifteen). Incorporation was
accomplished on September 8, 1970, and the new Board was appointed
and activated shortly thereafter. With this step, the work of
the "Committee for a United Christian Hospital" was consummated,
having fulfilled its mission after seven years of effort.
After many months of negotiation, the valuable site of 288,000
sq. ft., adjacent to Sau Mau Ping Resettlement Estate in Kwun Tong,
was granted by Government to the. Hong Kong Christian Council.
With the plans having been well-developed, in February 1971 the
first contract was signed for the hospital foundation. Construction
is now underway and progressing satisfactorily. Hence the project
is now moving forward to build the hospital of 379 beds and related
staff quarters. However in view of the need, the hospital will
expand to 560 beds as soon as sufficient capital funds become
available.

The hospital project started as the Church's effort to help
people obtain a fullness of life. It has expanded to include the
concept of enabling the community to help itself. It is felt that
in a real sense the project is pioneering in building not just an
edifice, but pioneering in building hew dimensions in the quality
of life. A community health program forsees a five-pronged thrust
in community nursing, community medicine, child health, industrial
health and health education. These areas will be woven together
to strive for the development of full health of the individual
family and community.
April 2nd, 1971 marked the achieving of another milestone with
the laying of the foundation stone by His Excellency the Governor,
Sir David Trench. The foundation stone symbolizes the dreaming,
the effort of the past, upon which the future rests. With a
well-laid foundation, the project is now able to face the future
with confidence.