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HEALTH
relatively rare by the standards prevailing 14 years ago, that the peak prevalence is in middle and later life and that the more intrac- table clinical problems occur mainly in males above the age of 45.
The mortality rate for tuberculosis has fallen from 208 per 100,000 in 1951 to 33.59 in 1965, and the change in age distribution has continued. In 1951 more than one-third of deaths occurred below the age of five, while today the proportion has fallen to 3.36 per cent. Above the age of 45 the proportion has risen from one-fifth to more than half, with a male preponderance of over two to one.
In the field of prevention, improved economic conditions are having some effect. However, while health education in the home, contact examinations, and X-ray surveys are proceeding, the prin- cipal specific measure aimed at tuberculosis prevention is the BCG vaccination campaign with emphasis on the vaccination of newborn babies. During the year 91.65 per cent of babies born in the Colony received BCG vaccination within 48 hours of birth. The vaccine is issued free to all doctors, midwives and hospitals. The School Health Service offers tuberculin testing and BCG vaccination where indicated to all school children. Toddlers attending maternal and child health centres are also tuberculin tested and vaccinated when necessary.
The tuberculosis control programme is a combined effort. The principal bodies participating are the Government Tuberculosis Service which maintains Colony-wide facilities for diagnosis and ambulatory chemotherapy-the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis As- sociation and the Junk Bay Medical Relief Council. Certain other organizations, both charitable and private, also provide treatment facilities. Co-ordination between the many organizations involved is achieved through a Co-ordinating Committee for Treatment of Tuberculosis set up in March.
There are 1,860 beds available in the Colony specifically for the treatment of tuberculosis. Of these, 1,654 are in government assisted hospitals managed by the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association, the Junk Bay Medical Relief Council, the Tung Wah Hospitals Medical Committee and Caritas. The newly recondi- tioned Kowloon Hospital has 164 beds and the remaining 42 beds are in St John's Hospital on Cheung Chau Island. Both these are