The best gift for centenary celebration, TWGHs welcomes budget speech approving the Kwong Wah Hospital redevelopment
Mr. CHANG Juo Hwa, Charles, Chairman of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals cum Hospital Governing Committee of Kwong Wah Hospital, is delighted to learn that fund would be allocated by the HKSAR government for financing the redevelopment project of Kwong Wah Hospital. He believes it is the best gift from the government for celebrating the 100th anniversary of the hospital. The redevelopment project fulfills the needs and expectation of both the low-income group in the district and the local community, and would certainly win the public’s support. “Most of the pre-construction preparatory works have been completed,” he said, “and I am very grateful to the Food and Health Bureau, the Hospital Authority and other government departments for their support.” He looks forward to the continuous assistance from the government when the redevelopment project gradually unfolds.
The Food and Health Bureau approved the Project Definition Statement for the redevelopment of Kwong Wah Hospital in 2008. Pre-construction preparatory works such as Clinical Services Plan, Technical Feasibility Statement and Master Development Plan were completed in 2009 and 2010, while Traffic Impact Assessment and Heritage Impact Assessment are expected for completion early this year. Mr. Charles CHANG is pleased with the government budget so timely secured upon the completion of the hospital’s preconstruction works. He also expressed gratitude to the Financial Secretary for his commitment to improving the public health and medical services as well as the development of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals.
The whole project is expected to cost around HK$8,000 million, to be completed by 2020, the exact timeframe of which would be subject to further discussion with the Food and Health Bureau and the Hospital Authority.
Mr. Charles CHANG further explained the redeveloped hospital would feature a few new service initiatives, including the new non-radioactive oncology service, the integrated day care centre which provides an ease to patients to receive treatments without hospitalization. In addition, designated floors will be built for the provision of Chinese medicine and integrated Chinese and western medicine service, while integrated Chinese and western medicine wards will be increased to set a perfect ground for nurturing Chinese medicine practitioners.
On the architectural side, the Tung Wah Museum, which was the former Main Hall of Kwong Wah Hospital built in 1911 and was declared as one of the monuments in Hong Kong, would be preserved during the redevelopment. The entrance of the new hospital complex would be located in front of the museum with glazed atrium design, allowing visual transparency to draw attention from vehicles and pedestrians in Waterloo Road. Other than the Tung Wah Museum, the TWGHs Tsui Tsin Tong Outpatient Building built in late 1990s would be retained, leaving 6 buildings within the hospital complex for demolition in 2 phases.
Mr. CHANG Juo Hwa, Charles (left photo), Chairman of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Hospital Governing Committee of Kwong Wah Hospital, and Dr. Nelson WAT(right photo), Hospital Chief Executive, Kwong Wah Hospital, expressing their gratitude to the new Budget Speech which approves the redevelopment of Kwong Wah Hospital.
Mr. CHANG Juo Hwa, Charles (right), Chairman of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Hospital Governing Committee of Kwong Wah Hospital, and Dr Nelson WAT, Hospital Chief Executive, Kwong Wah Hospital, both holding the conceptual drawings of the redevelopment plan of Kwong Wah Hospital.