HEALTH
its inauguration in December 1993, the 12 founding colleges have conducted training and examinations to award specialist qualifications to qualifying candidates.
The School of Public Health Nursing in the Department of Health provides full- time and part-time public health nursing training programmes which leads to a diploma in public health nursing studies for registered nurses.
Training in dentistry is available at the University of Hong Kong. A total of 37 dentists graduated in 1995.
Government Laboratory
As the centre of authoritative and impartial analytical services, the Government Laboratory protects public health through the provision of scientific support and the regular examination of food, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.
Food products sampled from markets accounted for over 50 000 surveillance tests in 1995. The main focus was on the detection of non-permitted additives as colours, preservatives and sweeteners, as well as contaminants such as mycotoxins, hormones, antibiotics, pesticide residues and potential carcinogens. The occurrence of these substances in foods was found to be generally insignificant.
Pharmaceutical products used in public institutions or sold locally were routinely tested for compliance with the required standards of safety and quality. Increasing effort has been devoted to the study of traditional Chinese medicines following the government's policy to promote, develop and regulate the Chinese medicine profession. Meanwhile vigilance checks on proprietary Chinese medicines for adulteration by synthetic drugs continued.
The year-round programme of over 20 000 cigarette analyses culminated in the annual publication of tar and nicotine tables. These results reinforced cigarette health warnings and helped to keep higher-tar brands off the local market.
The testing of consumer products intensified in line with growing public concern over safety. A large variety of toys and children's products was examined. The introduction of the Consumer Safety Ordinance in 1995 saw the Government Laboratory involved in investigating hazards associated with common household goods such as ceramic ware, hair dyes and cosmetics.
Other statutory duties undertaken during the year included certification analyses relating to the illegal use of marked diesel oil in road vehicles, unlicensed storage of dangerous goods, adulteration of wines and spirits, and offences under the Trade Description Ordinance.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
In October 1994, the Working Party on Chinese Medicine released the Report of the Working Party on Chinese Medicine. A Preparatory Committee on Chinese Medicine was set up in April 1995 to advise inter alia on the criteria and procedures for the eventual statutory registration of practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A territory-wide enrolment was started to compile a profile of all TCM practitioners (generalists, bone-setters and acupuncturists) in Hong Kong, on which criteria would be devised for their eventual registration. The Preparatory Committee would also advise on the development and regulation of TCM in Hong Kong, leading to the eventual establishment of a statutory regulatory body.
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