HEALTH
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Diseases Association. This association offers a total of 840 beds distributed between Grantham Hospital, Ruttonjee Sanatorium and Freni Memorial Home. In addition the Junk Bay Medical Relief Council has 310 beds at its Haven of Hope Sanatorium. The Tung Wah Group has 251 beds for the treatment of tuberculosis. The Chest Unit at Wong Tai Sin Infirmary has 185 beds in spacious accommodation and now plays a major role in the treatment of tuberculosis in Kowloon.
Venereal disease is diagnosed and treated free at social hygiene clinics. The recorded incidence of early infectious syphilis continued to remain low in 1970, thus differing from experience in other parts of the world. Latent and late syphilis and gonorrhoea have stayed comparatively unchanged and the incidence of chancroid and lymphogranuloma remained very low. The maintenance of this satisfactory position is due, at least in part, to energetic epidemic control by contact tracing, follow-up of defaulters and routine ante-natal blood tests.
Leprosy remains only a very minor public health problem. Twenty outpatient sessions are held weekly solely for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, while other sessions are held at social hygiene centres in conjunction with dermatology and venereal disease clinics. The Leprosy Mission-Hong Kong Auxiliary, with the aid of a government subvention, maintains accommodation for 540 persons at Hei Ling Chau Leprosarium for the treatment of infectious cases and a small number of patients requiring reconstruc- tive operations are also accepted.
Malaria is reported only in certain rural areas of the Colony. Most of the cases reported during the year were either imported or recurrent cases. Malaria prevention in the urban areas is based chiefly on anti-larval measures consisting of draining and clearing streams, ditching and oiling. In the greater part of the New Terri- tories, where the background is essentially rural, screening of buildings, use of mosquito nets and chemoprophylaxis constitute the main protection against malaria. All anti-mosquito measures for the prevention of malaria are carried out by the Pest Control Section of the Urban Services Department. Clinical aspects of malaria control such as malaria surveys and chemotherapy are the responsibility of the Medical and Health Department.