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HEALTH
required hospitalisation--on an outpatient basis. Present treatment lasts 18 or even 24 months. It may be possible that this can be cut by half in the not too distant future.
The results of these many investigations are of international interest and it is hoped that they will, within the next few years, revolutionise the approach to the treatment of tuberculosis. As the problems of tuberculosis are slowly but steadily being overcome there is increasing attention being paid to the investigation of non- tuberculous diseases of the respiratory system such as asthma and bronchiectasis.
Venereal disease is diagnosed and treated free at social hygiene clinics. The recorded incidence of early infectious syphilis remained low in 1974, thus differing from experience in other parts of the world. The overall increase in the incidence of all venereal diseases is slight, due largely to the energetic control measures such as contact tracing, follow-up of defaulters and routine ante-natal blood tests.
Leprosy has been brought under control in Hong Kong, with the incidence dropping steadily in recent years. Outpatients were seen and treated at social hygiene centres and inpatients admitted to the Hay Ling Chau Leprosarium maintained by the Leprosy Mission-Hong Kong Auxiliary. However, in view of the decreasing incidence of the disease, it has been decided to close the leprosarium in 1975 when Princess Margaret Hospital opens and patients requiring hospitalisation will be accommodated in new quarters. During recent years there has been some advance in overcoming the prejudice against employment of cured leprosy patients.
Malaria transmission has ceased in Hong Kong, and all cases notified during the year were imported. Preventive measures in the urban areas concentrate on anti-larval operations such as draining and clearing streams, ditching and oiling. In the greater part of the rural New Territories screening of buildings and use of mosquito nets constitute the main protection against malaria.
Diphtheria control in Hong Kong illustrates again the success of public health measures in disease prevention. Fifteen years ago more than 2,000 cases were reported and mass inoculation against the disease was intensified. Since then there has been a steady decline in the number of cases. The disease has almost been eradicated. How- ever, immunisation will have to be continued to maintain a high level of immunity among children to safeguard against the spread of the disease.
Poliomyelitis has also been brought under control. No cases were reported in 1974. Oral vaccine is offered at maternal and child health centres and a general immunisation campaign is carried out in January and March each year. About 90 per cent of infants receive one dose of polio-vaccine soon after birth and 77 per cent of the infants receive two doses of the trivalent vaccine later. Epidemiological surveillance of the disease was maintained throughout the year. This included virolog- ical investigation of laboratory specimens for polio-virus and a poliomyelitis faecal survey among normal children to discover the distribution of polio-virus in the community.
Measles is most prevalent among children under five years and epidemics are characteristically biennial. In Hong Kong, the disease is associated with high mortality due to complications, such as bronchopneumonia, because of the delay in seeking