During the year, 98 266 patients attended the government cheat clinios. 53 469 were newly diagnosed to be suffering from some kinda of respiratory diseases, namely pulmonary tuberculosis (9.7 %), pneumonia (4.1 %), bronchitis (2.9 %), emphysema (0.2 %), methms (0.3 %), bronchiectasis (1.3 %), malignant neoplasm of trachea and bronchus (1.1 %).
There are quite a muber of pneumoconiosis cases in
The Pneumoconiosis Clinio, Hong Kong, comprising mainly silicosis. which was set up in 1974 as part of the occupational health service, had provided more and better medical service since 1981 to those patients who suffered from pneumoconiosis and made anseament of the degree of permanent incapacities resulting from the disease for compensation under the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Schame.
Family Health Services
The Family Health Services of the Medical and Health Department operated 43 Maternal and Child Health Centres, providing a comprehensive health programme for women of child-bearing age and children up to five years,
Family planning is an important component of the Family Health Services. Ante-natal and post-natal health consultation Beselons are conducted for mothere. Immunization programmĖJA are carried out againat tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and rubella. During 1983, about 93.5 % of newborn babies attended the Family Health Centres.
The comprehensive observation scheme was introduced in 1978 to detect and ageese early developmental abnormalities and vhere necessary to provide followup treatment. The service is now available at 43 Family Health Centres. Children attending the co centres may, if and when appropriate, be referred to child assesament cantrea or various specialist unite for further examination. The aystem anables rehabilitation processes to start as early as possible.
A Health Education Unit within the Family Health Services was set up in 1982 to extend health education to expectant mother a at major Government hospitale. Special emphasis is placed on the promotion of treastfeeding. A telephone service is also set up to anever enquiries from the public in this regard.
The Government-assisted Family Planning Association of Hong Kong runs 31 birth control clinics providing vasectomy and female sterilization servicea as well.
Arran Street Kultidisciplinary Child Assessment Centre
The centre serves children from birth to 12 years old. It provides comprehensive physical, psychological and social assessment as well as therapy, parental counselling and appropriate placement of the child in the various institutions and centres run by the Government and voluntary agencies. These include the Special Child Care Centres of the Social Welfare Department and the Special Education Service Centres of the Education Department. The total mumber of cases seen in the year were 1 274.
The centre also operates a Toy Library Programme, which aims to enhance the development of children through toy and play. The emphasis in to involve parents and give guidance on the selection of suitable togs for their handicapped children.
In 1983, 1 274 cases were assessed and 4 426 attendances were recordad. An expansion programme to set up 7 more such child assessment centres on a regional basis is in progres8.
Social Bygiene and Special Skin Services
Venereal Diseases Service
The incidence of venereal diseases recorded in 1983 was 9 516 compared with 9 806 in 1982. About 6.10 % of these cases occurred in the teenage (under 15) group. The common sexually transmitted diseases were genital warts (14 %), gonorrhea (45 %), syphilis (7 %) and non-gonococcal urethritis (11 %). The incidence of other sexually transmitted diseases, e.g. chancroid, scabies, pediculosis pubis, herpes genitalis and lympho-gramuloma verareum remained low,
Ante-natal blood tests carried out routinely in all Governmental and non-Governmental ante-natal centres indicated an initial positive rate of 0.34 % compared with 0.32 % in the previous year. of the 87 positive cases referred to the social hygiene clinice, only 38 cases (44 %) were found to be suffering from syphilis.
The health staff were involved in epidemiological activities such as contact tracing and follow-up of defaulters and those at risk of frequent expoare. Health education in social hygiene was also emphasised through frequent health talks and the issuing of pamphlets and postere to the public.
leprosy Service
There has been a gradual fall in the incidence of leprosy during the past twenty five years and this trend continued in 1983. The number of new cases treated in 1983 was 38, representing an incidence rate of 0.7 per 100 000 population. The ratio of male to female denen was 3 to 1 and about 29 % of the cases were tuberculoid cases.
All leprosy cases needing in-patient treatment are admitted into Lai Chi Kok Hospital and in 1983 there were 6 new admissions.
4
5