HEALTH
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to the blind and to children under 10 years of age, exclusive of the cost of spectacles. There is no charge for attendance at maternal and child health centres. Preventive inoculations against certain endemic diseases are similarly available free at Government hospitals, clinics and dispensaries, and BCG vaccine is provided without charge to doctors and midwives throughout the Colony. Fees are charged in Government hospitals for first class or single ward accommodation and for second class accommodation in wards of two to eight beds. In all cases, however, fees can be waived if necessary. No charge is made for treatment or accom- modation in the general and maternity wards, although when food is provided there is a nominal maintenance charge.
Finance. The estimated expenditure for the financial year 1962-3 was $72,176,900. To this should be added medical subventions totalling $27,792,900 made to the new Kwong Wah Hospital, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association, the Grantham Hospital, the Mission to Lepers (Hong Kong Auxiliary), the Pok Oi Hospital, and other organizations. The combined estimated expenditure of the Medical and Health Department and these subventions represents 8.15 per cent of the Colony's total estimated expenditure of $1,226,436,110. Estimated capital expen- diture for the Medical and Health Department was $34,686,700. Professional Registers. There are five statutory bodies dealing with the registration of medical practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and midwives. The Hong Kong Medical Council is respon- sible for the registration of medical practitioners and has dis- ciplinary responsibilities under the Medical Registration Ordinance, 1957; it is not an examining body. The Dental Council, Pharmacy Board, Nurses Board and Midwives Board all maintain registers, regulate training, hold examinations leading to registration or en- rolment and have disciplinary powers.
GENERAL HEALTH
Generally speaking the health of the population continued to be good against a background of overcrowding, inadequate housing and restricted water supplies. The sudden influx of large numbers of immigrants from China, over a short period during the earlier months of the year, posed a potential danger to public health as