Tung Wah Group of Hospitals

At the inauguration ceremony of the Board of Directors 2010/2011 of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) held on 1 April 2010, Mr. Billy Leung, the new Chairman, states that the century long history of Tung Wah is closely intertwined with that of Hong Kong and its services have permeated all strata of the society. With TWGHs entering into its 140^th year of operation on 30 Mar 2010, Mr. Leung added that while considerable work was done in strengthening the corporate governance of the Group last year, efforts geared to consolidating practices in this area of work will continue. A detailed review on the work procedures and management systems within the organization will be conducted to enhance work efficiency and to strengthen the internal governance system of checks and balances. The provision of the century-old free medical services for the needy has long been the prime objective of TWGHs and its Board will strive to sustain this fine tradition. The Board has allocated $139 million to its hospitals and medical and health services centres this year for providing free medical services, undertaking capital projects, expanding and improving service and acquiring sophisticated medical equipment. These projects, among others, include the setting up of minimal invasive orthopaedic surgery service in Kwong Wah Hospital, the installation of retinal angiography and optical coherence tomography equipment in Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, the purchase of the second set of digital mammography system for the Group’s Well Women Clinics and the introduction of X-ray bone densitometry service at the Integrated Diagnostic and Medical Centre.

Further steps are taken to promote the Group’s Chinese medicine services. The provision of integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment services in its five hospitals will be enhanced by the introduction of acupuncture treatments to inpatients of TWGHs Wong Tai Sin Hospital this spring. More health management services such as acupoint herbal therapy and healthy tea bags programme will be launched at the TWGHs Wilson T.S. Wang Centre of Integrated Health Management.

On the education side, a distant learning classroom network in all the Group’s primary schools to facilitate the holding of diversified joint schools teaching and learning activities will be set up. The introduction of real-time distance learning classrooms is expected to create an additional teaching and learning platform for schools to broaden the horizon of the students. To meet the growing service needs, TWGHs will establish an Education Psychology Service Centre with a team of professional staff including educational psychologist, clinical psychologist, speech therapist and social worker. Apart from providing existing school-based educational psychology services for Tung Wah students, activities of the new centre will be extended to cover conducting assessment, counselling and training for students from both Tung Wah and non-Tung Wah schools with special educational needs, as well as relevant training courses and activities for teachers and parents concerned.

Equal attention will be paid to help and support the poor and the underprivileged by launching seven food assistance programmes in various districts to help people with difficulties in affording their daily meal expenses. Under Government funding support, a new social enterprise of the Group, the “i-bakery”, will be set up to provide vocational training and create job opportunities for people with disabilities for enhancement of their employability which in turn helps them achieve self-reliance. In addition, an integrated community centre for mental wellness will be set up to serve discharged mental patients and their families in the Central and Western District and the Southern District as well as to provide community education on mental wellness. Other work plans to enhance the Group’s services for coping with the aggravating social problems include a short-term residential treatment programme for young drug abusers, an additional integrated centre on smoking cessation in Wanchai, and a centre on family development at Wong Tai Sin to render preventive and treatment services on child abuse and to promote family wellness to families in the district.

The Inauguration ceremony was officiated by Mr. TSANG Tak-sing, JP, Secretary for Home Affairs. Members for the 2010/2011 Board include:

Chairman:                 Mr. LEUNG Ting Yu, Billy

1st Vice-Chairman:   Mr. CHANG Juo Hwa, Charles

2nd Vice-Chairman:  Mrs. CHAN MAN Yee Wai, Viola

3rd Vice-Chairman:   Dr. CHAN Un Chan, Ina

4th Vice-Chairman:  Mr. SZE Wing Hang, Ivan

5th Vice-Chairman:  Mr. FUNG King Wai, Frederick

Directors:      Mrs. Selena YOUNG TSENG

                      Mr. TAM Kwok Kiu, Edwin

                      Dato’ Dr. K.K. WONG

                      Mrs. Katherine MA

                      Dr. CHAN Chi Sun

                      Miss LEUNG Wai Yan, Iris

                      Dr. LEE Yuk Lun

                      Ms. Maisy HO

                      Ms. CHIU Yi, Cindy

                      Duke Dr. Raymond LEE

                      Miss Elizabeth WONG

                      Mr. Haywood CHEUNG

                      Mr. TANG Yiu Pong, Jason

                      Mr. CHAN Mo

For media enquiries, please contact Ms. Ivy Lau, Manager (Corporate Communications) at 2859 7853 or 9261 3053.

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Mr. Billy LEUNG (front row, right), Chairman of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (2010/2011), taking the oath of office.