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HEALTH
under whom are three senior health inspectors, who in turn respectively supervise seven to eight district health inspectors. There are 113 health units in the Island of Hong Kong and 113 in Kowloon. Building development in certain areas has made it necessary to revise the number of health units under one health inspector and each is now in charge of one to three units. Five health officers, 4 health visitors and 30 public inoculators are seconded from the Medical and Health Department for duties with the Urban Services Department. Since the introduction of a new grade of Assistant Health Inspector, the district health inspectors have lost many of their routine duties, and the shortage of experienced staff has become less severe.
Inspection of houses by blocks was first introduced in 1958, but was modified in September 1960 by a pilot scheme for making tanks of kerosene emulsion solution available to the public for cleansing purposes. 48 hours' warning is given to the residents of each block of houses by postcards, and on the day of inspection the district inspector, helped by a gang of 3 sanitary workers, supervises the removal of refuse from ledges, stair-landings and compounds. During the house-to-house inspection at about 10 a.m, the district inspector is further assisted by a team of 5-7 inspectors (each of whom inspects 30 floors) in one district, working on five mornings in a week. The public has shown much appreciation of this modified scheme of house inspection. Co-operation has been ready and easy access gained to premises. The inspecting officers either deal with the abatement of sanitary nuisances by direct action or by serving Statutory Notices, listen to complaints from the public and whenever necessary give advice and educa- tional talks to the residents on health matters. Licensed premises, particularly those dealing in food, are thoroughly cleansed by previous arrangement under the supervision of the district inspector on the day of house inspection.
A major part of the duties of the District Health Inspectors is still to supervise food establishments opening under licences issued by the Urban Council. Periodical inspections were made of 10,260 premises mostly used to prepare food for human con- sumption, so as to ensure a high standard of cleanliness and observance of the by-laws and conditions of licensing.