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HEALTH
cared for at the Siu Lam Hospital. In 1979, completion of the Caritas Medical Centre extension provided 288 additional beds for mentally-handicapped children who require hospital treatment.
The government plans to expand facilities for the mentally ill by providing a further 1,700 psychiatric hospital beds by the end of the decade. In addition, six psychiatric out- patient clinics and 300 day-centre places will be made available in the next six or seven years.
Industrial Health
The main aim of the Industrial Health Service is to prevent occupational diseases and to promote health at work. It provides professional advice on matters affecting the health and safety of workers. It also assesses disabilities resulting from occupational injuries under the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance.
Under the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Bill 1980, enacted in July, a fund is to be set up to compensate people incapacitated as a result of pneumoconiosis, and the depend- ants of those who die from the disease. The fund is to be financed by a levy on the major trades and industries initially on the construction and the quarrying industries which the great majority of pneumoconiosis cases are attributable.
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Also in July, the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance was amended to make employers of people disabled at work liable for the cost of repair and renewal of prostheses and surgical appliances for a period of 10 years from the date of the initial fitting; thereafter, such costs are to be borne by the government.
During construction of the Mass Transit Railway, the large number of people working in a compressed air environment have been medically examined and advised on the symptoms of decompression sickness and on what to do if they occur. Medical examinations are also conducted for divers and those working with radiation.
The professional and technical officers of the Industries Health Service carry out routine and special biological and environmental monitoring, and the Industrial Hygiene Laboratory has been designated as a collaborating laboratory in air pollution research by the World Health Organisation.
Dental Service
Two major events took place in 1980 establishment of the School Dental Care Service and the commissioning of the Prince Philip Dental Hospital. The service to schools will provide primary dental care to school-children and promote greater knowledge of dental health and hygiene. The scheme commenced in September after the first group of 30 dental therapists completed their training at the MacLehose Dental Centre in Wan Chai. The centre includes a training school for dental therapists and hygienists and a school dental clinic. Six more school dental clinics are being planned on a regional basis.
An important milestone was reached with the commissioning of the Prince Philip Dental Hospital which will provide full training courses for dentists. The first intake of 76 students will be ready to serve the public by 1985.
The government's Dental Service provides dental care for all monthly-paid government servants and their dependants, as well as simple dental treatment for the inmates of penal institutions and specialist treatment for patients in government hospitals. Emergency treatment is also provided for the public at a limited number of centres. With the opening of the Prince Philip Dental Hospital, a limited ‘walk-in' service will be available.