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HEALTH
On prevention of drug abuse, education and publicity efforts are being focused on young people who are in such social and economic environments that render them more susceptible to the menace of drug abuse. A series of publicity projects carried out during the year included a localised campaign held in Kowloon City, a densely populated district of high drug abuse incidence.
On the international front, Hong Kong works closely with governments in other parts of the world through either bilateral or multi-lateral contacts. It takes part in international gatherings such as the annual meetings of the United Nations Com- mission on Narcotic Drugs and the Far East Region Operational Heads of National Narcotics Law Enforcement Agencies. Hong Kong made a second annual contribu- tion of $100,000 to the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (UNFDAC) in 1976. Hong Kong's 1975 contribution was the biggest received by UNFDAC from all developing countries and territories, and was even larger than a number of those from developed countries. Among the scores of anti-narcotics projects being financed by UNFDAC are two opium crop replacement programmes (one in Thailand and the other in Burma) in the so-called 'Golden Triangle'. This is the opium growing area where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos meet, and from where virtually all of Hong Kong's opiate drugs come.
Medical Fees
At all government general and specialist outpatient clinics there is a nominal charge of $1 a visit, which includes medicine and diagnostic investigations. There are no charges for people attending the Family Health Service centres or the tuberculosis, social hygiene and leprosy clinics, or for patients with quarantinable diseases. No charges are made at certain remote clinics or on the floating clinics. The daily maintenance and treatment fee for patients admitted to the general wards of govern- ment hospitals is $3. For those who are unable to pay the medical fee, provision has been made for the charge to be either waived or reduced. A limited number of private and semi-private rooms are provided at major hospitals. The charges for these are much higher and in addition all treatment is chargeable.
Training
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Graduates of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong receive the degrees of MB, BS, which have been recognised for registration by the General Medical Council of Great Britain since 1911. Both the government and the university maintain a programme of post-graduate training. Opportunities are also available for doctors to sit higher professional examinations in Hong Kong by arrangement with various overseas bodies.
The university produces 150 doctors a year, and a further 100 a year will eventually graduate from Hong Kong's second medical school which is to be established at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1981.
A dental scholarship scheme enables a number of students from Hong Kong to study dentistry overseas, but as from 1980 dentists will be trained at the dental school to be set up at the University of Hong Kong.