HEALTH
co-ordination of various departments in the prevention and control programmes was achieved by the Inter-departmental Co-ordinating Committee on Malaria Control.
Tuberculosis remains a disease of public health importance in Hong Kong. In spite of continued diligence and a dynamic programme in the fight against the disease, there were 6 704 notifications during the year, representing a notification rate of 116 per 100 000. The local BCG immunisation scheme effectively covers some 99 per cent of the newborn. Booster doses are given to primary school children and to new immigrant children after an initial Mantoux test. 403 deaths resulting from tuberculosis were recorded in 1989, representing a death rate of 6.99 per 100 000. Corresponding figures recorded in 1988 were 388 and 6.83 respectively.
Immunisation programmes against common childhood infections are carried out in schools as well as at Maternal and Child Health Centres. Primary 1 and 6 schoolchildren receive booster vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis. In addition, girls in Primary 6 are given rubella vaccination. The coverage is consistently over 98 per cent.
To increase the protection of the at-risk group, namely women of child-bearing age, rubella vaccination is made available to nurses, teachers and social workers and other female staff in the government service. The vaccination is also provided to women attending Maternal and Child Health Centres.
In order to combat the hepatitis B infection, which is one of the major public health problems in Hong Kong, the Department of Health has formulated and implemented cost-effective preventive and control measures. The Hepatitis B Vaccination Programme was first introduced in 1984 for health-care workers and babies born to carrier mothers. It was extended in November 1988 to cover all newborn babies. The programme is well accepted by the community and the coverage rate is over 98 per cent for the first dose. Health education and screening of donated blood are also important preventive measures.
All babies born in Hong Kong are being covered in the Combined Neonatal Screen- ing Programme for congenital hypothyroidism and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency. The programme was first introduced in 1983. It facilitates early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions which may lead to disability. Parents of children identified through the screening programme are advised on the treatment and management needs of their children.
Rabies Control
Rabies control is carried out by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Hong Kong regained its rabies-free status in July 1989 following a period of two years in which no case of indigenously acquired rabies in man or animal had occurred. Notwithstanding the situation, strict control measures remained in force throughout the year, and these included import control and quarantine of imported animals, compulsory licensing and inoculation of dogs against the disease, intensive apprehension and elimination of stray dogs, thorough observation of biter animals for rabies infection and close surveillance of the closed areas at the border.
Hospitals and Development Programmes
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There are three types of hospitals in Hong Kong - government, government-assisted and private with a total of 25 059 beds, representing 4.3 beds per thousand population. Provision of hospital services at nominal cost is made universally accessible to the people of Hong Kong. In 1989, more than 653 000 patients were treated at 14 government and 20 government-assisted hospitals.
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