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HEALTH
Anti-malarial measures such as oiling, draining and clearing of streams are still carried out although malarial transmission has practically ceased in Hong Kong.
A rubella immunisation programme, introduced in 1978, continues to be directed at girls aged 11 to 14 years and women of child-bearing age.
Hospitals
There are three types of hospitals in Hong Kong - government, government-assisted, and private - with a total of 20,806 beds representing 4.1 beds per thousand of the population (institutions operated by the Armed Forces are not included). The four major regional hospitals are the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Kwong Wah and Princess Margaret hospitals.
Queen Mary Hospital, with 1,183 beds, is the regional hospital for Hong Kong Island. It is also the teaching hospital for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the largest general hospital in Kowloon, with 1,938 beds, is the regional hospital for east Kowloon and the eastern New Territories.
Kwong Wah Hospital, a government-assisted hospital with 1,552 beds, is the regional hospital for west Kowloon.
Princess Margaret Hospital has 1,268 beds. It serves as a regional hospital for the western New Territories and contains an infectious diseases unit and a geriatric unit.
As a result of the regionalisation scheme, the bed occupancy rates of government-assisted hospitals such as Pok Oi, Buddhist, Tung Wah and Yan Chai, have been brought up to more than 80 per cent.
In 1980, more than 500,000 patients were treated in the 12 government and 21 government-assisted hospitals.
Clinics
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Out-patient services provided by the government, subsidised organisations and private agencies are being continually developed. The government operates 53 general out-patient clinics, polyclinics and specialist clinics. During the year, demand remained high at these clinics. Evening, Sunday and public holiday sessions continued at clinics situated in the more densely-populated areas.
Mobile dispensaries and floating clinics take medical services to the outlying islands and the more remote areas of the New Territories. Other inaccessible areas are visited regularly by the 'flying doctor' service with assistance from the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force.
At the end of 1980, 390 clinics were registered under the Medical Clinics Ordinance. Of these, 88 clinics were under the control of a registered medical practitioner, as required under the ordinance, and 302 clinics were exempted from this requirement. Registered medical practitioners set up clinics in housing estates through the Estate Doctors Association Limited.
Total attendance figures at government out-patient clinics came to 13 million in 1980.
Family Health
The Family Health Service operates 38 centres, each of which provides a comprehensive health care programme for women of child-bearing age and children up to five years. Family planning is an important component of the Family Health Service. Ante-natal and post-natal health consultation sessions are conducted for mothers. Immunisation pro- grammes are carried out against diseases to which children are particularly vulnerable.