PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES

Organization of Public Health Services

Responsibility for the administration of public health measures is divided between the Medical Department, the Urban Council and Urban Services Department and the District Administration, New Territories. The Medical Department deals with such matters as epidemiology, vital and morbidity statistics, maternal and child health, school hygiene and the health of school children, malaria control, tuberculosis control, measures to combat social diseases, health education, port health control and international health matters, whereas the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department whose work is described in detail later in this chapter, are concerned with environmental sanitation, domestic cleanliness, control of the importa- tion, preparation, handling and sale of food. The District Commissioner is statutorily responsible for public health measures in the New Territories and is advised by officers of the Medical Department.

The Medical Department

The work of the Medical Department is under the direction of the Director of Medical and Health Services and that of the Urban Services under the Director of Urban Services who is concurrently the Chairman of the Urban Council. Close liaison is maintained between the two departments through the Deputy Director of Health. Services under whose administration the Medical Department Health Services are grouped. He is con- currently Vice-Chairman and public health adviser to the Urban Council and has certain executive functions in regard to the Urban Council. He also has certain executive functions in regard to the Inspectorate of the

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