HEALTH
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ensure that radioactive equipment and substances pose no hazard. Research is being carried out on the epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
The Forensic Pathology Service of the Medical and Health Department works closely with the Royal Hong Kong Police Force on the medical aspects of criminology.
Medical Fees
The government charges $1 for each consultation at a government clinic and this fee includes medicine as well as X-ray examinations and laboratory tests. If a patient requires a specialist's opinion, he is referred to a polyclinic for consultation which also costs him $1 per visit. This charge is waived for some patients. Treatment for tuberculosis, leprosy and venereal diseases is free and so is maternal and child health guidance including antenatal and post-natal care for the mother and immunisation for the child.
Patients in the general wards of government hospitals are charged $5 a day for diet, X-ray examinations, laboratory tests, drugs, surgery, and any other forms of special treatment required. Again this daily maintenance charge may be waived. A limited number of private rooms are provided at major hospitals. The maintenance charges for these are much higher and additional charges are made for treatment procedures.
Training
Graduates of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong receive Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees that have been recognised by the General Medical Council of Great Britain since 1911. Both the government and the university maintain a post-graduate training programme. Opportunities are available for doctors to sit for higher professional examinations in Hong Kong by arrangement with various bodies.
The University of Hong Kong produces 150 doctors a year. A further 100 a year will eventually graduate from Hong Kong's second medical school, to be established at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1980.
A dental scholarship scheme enables a number of students from Hong Kong to study dentistry overseas. However from 1980 dentists will be trained at the dental school to be set up at the University of Hong Kong.
A new Institute of Medical and Health Care was established at the Hong Kong Polytechnic to provide training for paramedical staff. Four courses were set up in October, 1978: radiography, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and medical laboratory science.
There are three government hospital schools of nursing for registered nurses. Two are for general nursing and one is for psychiatric nursing. Other approved nurse training schools are attached to government-assisted or private hospitals. The government also runs courses for training enrolled nurses in general nursing and psychiatric nursing and a one-year course in obstetric nursing for registered nurses. The government conducts a continuous post-graduate overseas training programme for qualified nurses as well as in-service training in various fields. It also runs training courses for student health visitors and health nurses engaged in public health work.