HEALTH
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These results were due, at least in part, to the immunisation campaign and the con- tinuing health education efforts to encourage parents to seek early medical advice.
Influenza occurred sporadically during the year. In conjunction with the World Health Organisation, the disease continued to be kept under a surveillance programme in which epidemiological and laboratory information about the disease is transmitted regularly overseas. The epidemiological information includes regular recording of influenza-like illnesses seen in the general outpatient departments of certain designated clinics, and also the recording of deaths from influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis. During the year, influenza A virus was isolated from a number of throat swabbings and throat washings sent for virological investigations. The influenza virus strains isolated were antigenically closely related to the variant A/Hong Kong/107/71 showing a certain degree of antigenic deviations from its prototype A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2). Other communicable diseases remain at a low level, and do not constitute a major public health problem.
Port Health Service
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The Port Health Service is responsible for the enforcement of the International Health Regulations as provided under the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance and the sanitary control of the port and airport areas. It provides facilities for the vaccination and the issue of International Vaccination Certificates to travellers, and for the inspection, deratting and the issue of International Deratting or Deratting Exemption Certificates to ships on international voyages. It also renders -medical assistance to ships in the harbour and transmits free medical advice to ships at sea. A 24-hour service for the inspection of incoming passengers arriving by sea and air and the granting of Radio pratique to ships from clean ports on request is maintained throughout the year.
Epidemiological information is regularly exchanged with the World Health Organisation in Geneva, the Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila and several neighbouring health administrations.
Maternal and Child Health
There is increasing public understanding of the value of Hong Kong's maternal and child health facilities. Almost all babies are born either in hospital maternity wards or in maternity homes, and confinements at home attended by private midwives now represent less than one per cent of the total deliveries. The Government District Midwifery Service has 29 centres, and the total number of maternity beds available for deliveries in these health centres is 552. There are 72 registered midwives practising privately in 46 maternity and nursing homes, which are regularly inspected by the Supervisor of Midwives and her staff.
The Government Maternal and Child Health Service offers free maternal and child care at 35 centres, 20 of which are full-time. A full-time centre in South Kwai Chung became operational in autumn 1972 on completion of stage one of the South Kwai Chung Polyclinic. Clinics are held for infants and for children between two and