HEALTH
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where indicated is offered to all school children and a house-to- house campaign has been conducted in an effort to reach children who are of school age but are not attending school. Toddlers attending the maternal and child health centres are also tuberculin tested and vaccinated when necessary.
The tuberculosis control programme is a combined effort and the principal bodies participating are the Government tuberculosis service, which maintains Colony-wide facilities for diagnosis and ambulatory chemotherapy, the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association and the Junk Bay Medical Relief Council. Certain other hospital organizations, both charitable and private, also pro- vide treatment facilities.
The Government tuberculosis service operates full-time and part- time clinics in all areas where the distribution of the population warrants such activities. All diagnosis and treatment is free. There are four full-time chest clinics equipped with radiological facilities and treatment is available at these and at 15 subsidiary centres. Treatment sessions are held in the evening at the four main centres for patients who cannot attend during the day.
Once a diagnosis of active tuberculosis has been made, a system of ambulatory chemotherapy is instituted. The standard treatment is intensive for the first six months, after which each case is reviewed. Those still infectious are admitted to hospital, while those responding satisfactorily are placed on a less intensive régime. In this way large numbers of active cases are rendered sputum negative and can live at home and remain at work without danger to others. All contacts in the family of such cases are investigated and action is taken as may be necessary. Cases in need of hospital treatment for pulmonary or bone and joint tuber- culosis are assessed for priority of admission as beds become available. Almoners attached to the tuberculosis service maintain social histories and operate a tuberculosis assistance fund for those in need of financial or material aid while under treatment. There is a staff of tuberculosis workers who undertake home visiting, health education, clinic duties and contact tracing. They also in- vestigate the circumstances of those defaulting from treatment.
During the year a total of 29,123 patients received continuous anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy on an ambulatory basis at Govern- ment clinics and a total of 1,414,009 attendances were recorded.