Page 52 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

14.

soon result in a fine hospital to meet the needs of
this developing area of Kwun Tong where until now there
has not, I am afraid, been a very satisfactory service....
This hospital w i l l be geared to serve the less well off
members of our community, and from what I have heard of
its intended operation as a community hospital I am
sure it will, as well as being of great medical value,
serve as a pattern for some of our future new hospitals....”

The project had planned an expansion to 560 beds as a phase
II development, but it is obviously preferable to build the
larger sized hospital from the beginning. A few months after
the foundation stone ceremony the Hong Kong Government responded
favorably to our request for additional capital funds to enable
expansion of the hospital, and nurses training school, nurses
quarters, and doctors quarters proportionately. With the
expansion of beds, programs in acute psychiatric and geriatric
care are being added, which must tie in closely with the
community health program.

The churches of Hong Kong set themselves a seemingly
impossible fund-raising goal of HK$2 million for the hospital,
but have already surpassed that amount with gifts from 272
local churches and 46 schools (over 20,000 separate donations).
The local general appeal, including the churches, has brought
in over HK$3.8 million. The campaign is continuing. The
total estimated capital cost for the project is HK$46.6
million of which over 90% is assured.

With the sub-structure construction completed, work on
the main building began in December 1971 and is progressing
satisfactorily. As of May 1972 the eight-storey hospital
building is up to the fifth floor, and piling of the doctors
quarters and nurses quarters is half finished. It is
anticipated that construction w i l l be completed in mid-1973,
and the opening date has been set for September 1, 1973.

The "T h i r d Study”of the ” K w u n Tong Community Health
Project”has been issued and the first step in implementing

the program was taken with the opening of the Sau Mau Ping
Community•Health Centre in March 1972. The program is to
see the development of health care in homes, health centres,
for children, for the' aged, in industry, mental health care
and health education.

The fundamental purpose of these programs is to enable
development of new dimensions in the quality of health and
life in Hong Kong.