#015 – Revitalized Industrial Building – Sham Shui Po Public Dispensary

After the early 20th century, a large number of immigrants from the mainland moved to Kowloon. As a result, Sham Shui Po's population continued to increase and medical facilities were found to be insufficient. The Sham Shui Po Public Dispensary was originally located next to the Tin Hau Temple in Sham Shui Po with simple equipment. In 1934, Wong Yiu-tung, a wealthy Sham Shui Po businessman, raised funds to build a new dispensary. Shui Po Public Dispensary provided vaccinations to 13,877 people in 1935, received 270 abandoned babies, and diagnosed and treated 35,436 new cases. After Hong Kong was liberated in 1945, the heads of many public dispensaries became vacant. The Hong Kong government either took over the dispensaries or handed them over to the management of regional neighborhood welfare associations. After the war, Sham Shui Po Public Hospital continued to provide outpatient services to residents. In 1972, the government implemented the methadone detoxification program, and the dispensing room of the Medical Bureau was converted into a methadone treatment centre. In 2002, the dispensary underwent renovation, and the equipment was gradually improved to provide one-stop diagnosis and treatment services for drug addicts. The dispensary was renamed the Sham Shui Po Methadone Clinic and is now managed by the Hong Kong Auxiliary Medical Service to continue to provide services to residents.