HEALTH
work closely with the staff of the Department of Health in the investigation and control of food-poisoning outbreaks and infectious diseases.
To facilitate more effective action against illegal food business operators, the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance was revised to enable the Urban Services Department to physically close down premises being operated as illegal food establish- ments. Since the coming into effect of the revised law on October 1, 1988, 485 illegal food premises had ceased operations voluntarily and another eight were closed by the depart- ment subject to Court Orders.
For the prevention of vector-borne diseases, pest control staff continued with the integrated programmes to control rodents, mosquitoes, flies and other public health pests. Measures taken included environmental improvement, health education, eradication of breeding places, use of pesticides and law enforcement. The Pest Control Advisory Section of the Municipal Services Branch provided technical support.
Environmental Health Education
The Health Education Unit of the Municipal Services Branch focused on promoting good hygienic practices and educating the public on preventive measures against environmental health problems. The highlights of a series of health education programmes in 1989 included the staging of a Building Sanitation Exhibition in the territory's two major civic centres, the Hong Kong City Hall and the Sha Tin Town Hall, during the Live Clean and Stay Healthy Campaign, and the launching of a territory-wide Keep the Toilet Clean drive. The aim of the latter campaign was to arouse public awareness on the proper use and maintenance of both public and communal toilets. The unit also organised activities for supervisory personnel of the food trade in a food hygiene campaign on the theme Better Hygiene, Safer Food and for schoolchildren in the Inter-Schools Health Education Speech and Song Contests.
Other subjects covered by major territory-wide programmes included the prevention of nuisances caused by air-conditioners and the prevention of mosquito breeding and rodent infestations. Besides conducting health talks and seminars to various sectors of the public like food handlers, building management personnel and schoolchildren, the unit also provided out-reaching broadcasting services, a health education resource centre and a telephone hotline for consultation by the public.
Food
The health inspectorate, backed by medical consultancy, controls the food for sale, both imported and locally produced. Assisted by a scientific advisory arm and supported by laboratory resources, the inspectorate ensures that the consumer is able to buy good wholesome food, unadulterated, uncontaminated, properly labelled, and of nutritious quality.
In March, the harvesting and sale of shellfish from certain parts of the local waters was temporarily banned in the wake of reports of contamination by 'red tide' toxins. The public was advised through the mass media not to eat shellfish until the situation cleared. In early April, the ban was lifted after successive samples of shellfish collected from the previously affected waters were given a clean bill of health by laboratory testing. The November 1988 outbreak of mass chemical food-poisoning which the health inspectorate traced to pesticide-tainted vegetables from across the border led to the introduction of a quick screening field test for pesticide residues. Complementary to regular laboratory analysis, this field test was performed on imported vegetables at their point of entry into Hong
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