With reference to your "Social Issues" article "Having a baby" (Varsity, December 1994), I would like to point out some major discrepancies in the text.
The article states that the cost for a bed in a ward in the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital ranges from $9,200 to $18,770 per day, and that the cost of semi-private and private rooms may be up to $25,000 per day.
We would appreciate it if you would inform your readers in your next issue of the correct cost.
The prices quoted are from our obstetric packages, covering several days stay and specific services and materials.
For three full days hospital stay in a ward room (only three patients) at the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital including routine delivery room, nursery, nursing care and procedural charges, three meals daily and room rate the total cost amounts to only $9,200.
For an emergency caesarian section covering a five-day hospital stay in a ward room and including delivery room charges prior to surgery (if applicable), operating room charges, nursery and nursing care and procedural charges, surgical dressings, etc., the total cost is only $18,770.
Semi-private and private rooms are more expensive but even for a full package (three day stay) for a normal vaginal delivery we are nowhere near $25,000 as quoted in the article.
The packages are introduced to allow prospective parents to budget for the costs of their delivery in advance. Details are fully listed in our hospital brochure on Maternity Packages, which can be obtained from the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital.
Mary P. Rafferty
Director of Professional Relations
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
I am writing to talk about the assessment method of a student's qualification is to live in the dormitory at The Chinese University.
In the present assessment method, points for participating in extracurricular activities and joining committee of a club or society in school take a significant proportion.
The purpose is to encourage students taking part in student activities. However, it gives rise to an unhealthy phenomenon.
Some students may have ill-intentions. In order to earn more points in the dormitory assessment, they join the student club or society though they originally do not want to.
It's pitiable to see them joining the clubs only to get a place in the dormitory, instead of enriching their lives or gaining more experiences from those activities.
I do not think that a person will devote his afford in the activities with such intention. Rather, it creates an illusion that students are eager to arrange inter-school activities. However, will the booming phenomenon stay long?
Also, it is unfair for those who live neither too far nor close enough to the school. Their applications for the dormitory are always the marginal cases. If they do not take part in these activities, they will seldom have chance to live in dormitory due to keen competition.
In many opinions, the ideal solution is to increase places in dormitories and revise the assessment method to a fair one.
Yvonne Lau
Tsing Yi
January is a special month of the year, especially for pop singers, their record companies and their fans.
It is because the radio and television stations all hold their musical award presentation ceremonies for the local pop singers in this month. Also, the local music industry can find out which singer is the most popular of the year.
Hence, singers will try their very best to get as much media attention as they can: appearing on television, attending press conference, having interviews on air, just to name a few.
Since December, far before the presentations, there have been many rumours about who is going to be the most popular male or female pop singers, who is going to "outfight" his colleagues.
These gossips are given impetus by the stations, which try to feature those award presentations as the "event of the events". Each participating station claims its result the only accurate and fair one. The real result, therefore, is that nearly every "pop" singer gets an award.
I cannot help thinking that we, including the singers, are fooled by the media stations. Everyone knows that the criteria used to measure the popularity of a song are arbitrary, that is, if there is any criteria at all.
Although the fans are now having a say on which song or who is going to receive award, I wonder if their voice has any weight at all.
Wanda Lam
Sha Tin
I am writing to express my appreciation to the improvement done by the school bus authority in the Chinese University.
Since the beginning of the school year, there are many complaints about the school bus service. However, recently, I have found that the bus service has improved significantly. More buses have joined the service, the buses are punctual and the frequencies are regular. In the early morning, extra staffers are also added to keep a proper order at the bus stop and to ensure the fluid flow of the buses. It makes it more convenient and time-saving to get on the bus.
I sincerely hope that the good service can last long and provide convenient ride to all members around the campus.
Venus Tsang
Kowloon City