7
Health
t
ALTHOUGH Hong Kong's geographical and environmental circumstances make it vulnerable to infectious diseases, it has been free from epidemic and any quarantinable diseases in recent years. However, surveillance measures are still taken to prevent the introduction of smallpox or cholera into Hong Kong. The control of diphtheria and poliomyelitis was so successful that these two diseases were nearly eradicated due largely to the active immunisation programmes and health education.
Where once communicable diseases headed the list of the major causes of death, the situation has now changed with the degenerative diseases dominating the picture. The most common causes of death in Hong Kong are cancer, heart and hypertensive diseases, pneumonia, cerebrovascular diseases, accidents and tuberculosis.
Two new projects were opened for service during the year-the Wu York Yu Clinic at Tsz Wan Shan and the Sha Tau Kok Clinic in the New Territories. Five projects were under construction-the 1,300-bed Princess Margaret Hospital; the combined staff quarter for this hospital complex; the Tsuen Wan-Kwai Chung Polyclinic Stage II; the Specialist Clinic Hong Kong Island East and the Kowloon East Polyclinic Stage I.
The Medical Development Advisory Committee, which was appointed by the government in March 1973, produced a report which set out standards in the provision of hospital beds and clinics for the period 1973-82, and estimated the requirements for doctors, dentists and nurses. This report was made available to the public and interested bodies for comments. In the light of public reaction and competing claims on resources including staff, fiscal and land, the government has incorporated various recommenda- tions for the further development of medical and health services for the next decade into a policy White Paper, 'The Further Development of Medical and Health Services in Hong Kong'. This paper was tabled in the Legislative Council in July. The future expansion and improvement of the services will be planned along its proposals.
Administration
The Medical and Health Department is responsible for medical and health care services for the community of Hong Kong. It operates hospitals and clinics throughout the urban and rural areas, maintains maternal and child health with family planning, school health, industrial health and port health services and undertakes measures for the control of epidemic and endemic diseases. The estimated expenditure of the depart- ment for the financial year 1974–5 is $312,733,000. To this should be added subven- tions totalling an estimated $169,690,000 to many non-government institutions and