HEALTH
District Health System
The District Health System is a co-ordinated approach to providing primary health care services. It allows for the delivery of services most relevant to the needs of the community through health care providers within the district working as a team. The setting up of district health committees, with members drawn from community service providers and the public, provides a forum for community participation in the identification of health care needs and implementation of programmes. After successful implementation in Kowloon, the system will be extended to Hong Kong Island in early 1998.
Clinics
The Department of Health operates 63 general out-patient clinics, providing affordable primary care to the public. Mobile dispensaries, floating clinics and a flying doctor service cater to residents of remote areas and outlying islands. The department also operates 50 maternal and child health centres, 13 student health. centres, 17 tuberculosis and chest clinics, 13 social hygiene clinics, five dermatology clinics, five clinical genetic clinics, five child assessment centres and other clinic services. Total attendance in 1997 was more than 11 million.
Private-sector services are provided by members of the Estate Doctors' Association, who run clinics in housing estates to offer a low-cost service for residents, by medical practitioners in private practice and by 198 clinics registered under the Medical Clinics Ordinance.
Health Education
The Central Health Education Unit plans, organises and promotes health education activities. With collaboration and support from other agencies, the Healthy Lifestyle Campaign provided health information to the public through a number of interesting and exciting programmes. The aim was to cultivate the concept of healthy living in the community.
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The Health Ambassador Programme continued to win acclaim in 1997. Volunteers from four major groups
senior citizens, teachers, women and students recruited and trained to promote health education activities within their own community. The unit's computerised 24-hour pre-recorded telephone health education service (2833 0111) was also expanded and reorganised to provide more than 220 messages on various health topics.
Dental Services
The Department's Dental Service aims at promoting oral health in the community through promotive and preventive oral health services.
Oral health education and promotion activities are organised throughout the year to increase the level of oral health awareness among the people. These activities include outreaching programmes delivered through an Oral Health Education Bus and target-specific programmes delivered through maternal and child health centres, kindergartens and pre-school centres to more than 180 000 pre-schoolers every year. Preventive services are delivered through the School Dental Care Service which provides annual dental examination and basic dental care to about 390 000 children
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