138
HEALTH
The health staff also maintains close surveillance of the food catering service provided for international airlines to ensure that food and water supplied to flight kitchens are clean and safe. Epidemiological information is exchanged regularly with the World Health Organisation in Geneva and its Western Pacific regional office in Manila, and with neighbouring countries.
Special Services
The Pathology Service provides clinical and public health laboratory services for govern- ment hospitals and clinics, and a consultant service for the government-assisted sector. It also administers hospital mortuaries and blood banks.
The Institute of Immunology undertakes the monitoring and quality control of bio- logical products, including vaccines for use in the local health services. The Virus Unit provides a central laboratory service for the diagnosis and surveillance of viral infections, including AIDS. In addition, it provides laboratory support for the screening, assessment and guidance of vaccination programmes against viral infections.
A Central Neo-natal Screening Laboratory was established in 1984 in the Kwong Wah Hospital on a temporary basis. The main function of this unit is to co-ordinate the laboratory activities of the territory-wide neo-natal screening programme on congenital hypothyroidism and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
The Forensic Pathology Service, through its forensic laboratory, works closely with the Police Force on the medical aspects of criminology and other medical-legal work. It also administers public mortuaries.
The Institute of Radiology and Oncology comprises two major divisions: the Diagnostic Radiology Division and the Radiotherapy and Oncology Division.
The Diagnostic Radiology Division provides a diagnostic organ-imaging service for government institutes and one government-subvented hospital, the Nam Long Hospital. A consultant service is available to all government-subvented hospitals and private medical practitioners on a fee-charging basis.
The Radiotherapy and Oncology Division provides comprehensive radiotherapy pro- grammes and a chemotherapy service. The division also operates a cancer registry covering the whole territory.
The Radiation Health Unit undertakes regular visits to medical, commercial and industrial premises to inspect the working conditions of radiation workers. Radiation licences are also issued in accordance with the Radiation Ordinance and Regulations.
The Pharmaceutical Service is made up of two main divisions. The Hospital and Clinic Pharmaceutical Service has a staff of 791, including 61 pharmacists. The second division is the Forensic Pharmacy Service with an establishment of 17 pharmacists supported by a number of clerical staff. During the year, continued action against the illegal sale and distribution of poisons and antibiotics was carried out, resulting in 91 prosecutions.
Community Nursing Service
The Community Nursing Service provides domiciliary and rehabilitation nursing care and treatment to the sick, the elderly infirm, and the disabled in their own homes.
Jointly operated by eight agencies including the Medical and Health Department, the service operates from a network of 48 hospital stations and satellite centres. During the year, 12 300 patients were served and more than 227 000 home visits were made.