HEALTH
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A Central Neonatal Screening Laboratory was established in 1984. Its main function is to co-ordinate the laboratory activities of the territory-wide neonatal screening programme on congenital hypothyroidism and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency.
The Institute of Radiology and Oncology comprises three major divisions, the Diagnostic Radiology Division, the Radiotherapy and Oncology Division and the Medical Physics Division. The Diagnostic Radiology Division provides a comprehensive diagnostic organ-imaging service. The Radiotherapy and Oncology Division provides comprehensive radiotherapy programmes and a chemotherapy service for cancer patients. It also operates a cancer registry covering the whole territory. The Medical Physics Division provides radiation physics, clinical physics and radiation protection services. It also looks after the procurement and contract maintenance of radiological and related equipment.
Regular visits are made by the staff of the Radiation Health Unit to medical, commercial and industrial premises to inspect the working conditions of radiation workers. The unit also issues radiation licences to the proprietors in accordance with the Radiation Ordinance and Regulations. It assists in the Background Radiation Monitoring Pro- gramme organised by the Royal Observatory to establish an accurate baseline of the back- ground radiation levels in Hong Kong.
The Pharmaceutical Service of the Department of Health is made up of two divisions, with a total establishment of 316, including 29 pharmacists. The first division provides - pharmaceutical service to all government clinics. The second division deals with the inspection and licensing of pharmaceutical manufacturers and dealers and the registration and import-export control of pharmaceutical products and medicines. Action is taken against the illegal sale and distribution of pharmaceutical products and medicines and in 1991 there were 66 prosecutions. In the Hospital Services Department, there were 51 pharmacists to look after the pharmaceutical needs of government hospitals.
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 government, the service functioned from a network of seven hospital stations and 42 satellite centres. During the year, 14 970 patients were served and more than 249 250 home visits were made.
Health Education
The Central Health Education Unit of the Department of Health is responsible for the planning, organisation, co-ordination and promotion of health education activities. In 1991, the unit was actively involved in a number of campaigns including those on environmental health, prevention of communicable diseases such as viral hepatitis and malaria, organ donation, diabetes, child health, heart health, cancer, elderly health, anti-smoking, food hygiene and AIDS.
The theme of the major health education campaign for 1991 was Self-care. A series of programmes including workshops, a 24-hour pre-recorded telephone information service, design competitions for students, health columns and media interviews were arranged. An exhibition was held at the City Hall in October.
Three training courses on health education were held for 38 primary and 76 secondary school teachers in June and July. These were joint ventures with Education Department.