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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation has generously donated $18 million to support the collaboration between the Kowloon East Cluster (KEC) and the Eye Institute of The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine to establish a Cataract Centre in Tseung Kwan O Hospital. The Kowloon East Cluster commits to perform 2,500 extra cataract surgeries per year after the Cataract Centre opens in the second quarter of 2011.
A Memorandum of Understanding was jointly signed yesterday (August 3) by Director of the Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Fund, Dr Philip Wu; Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong, Professor Lee Sum-ping; and Director (Cluster Services) of Hospital Authority, Dr Cheung Wai-lun, to affirm the donation.
Cluster Chief Executive of KEC, Dr Joseph Lui, thanked the Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Fund during the signing ceremony for its generous donation. Dr Lui said, "In KEC, there are nearly 10,000 patients queueing up for cataract surgery. The average waiting time is over four years. When the Cataract Centre is in operation, the capacity of cataract surgeries performed in KEC will be doubled to around 5,000 cases per year and the average waiting time will be reduced to around two years."
Cluster Chief of Service (Ophthalmology), Dr Kenneth Li, said, "There will be two operating theatres set up in the Cataract Centre. We will follow the guidelines set by the British National Health Service to enhance the capacity, efficiency and safety of cataract surgeries performed in the centre. Apart from providing service to the public, the centre will also shoulder the mission of training up specialists in future."
The KEC Ophthalmology Department will be responsible for the management and clinical duties while The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine will provide training and prospective audit to the centre to ensure the high quality and safety of the service provided to patients.
Ends/Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:05
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