The CPD Health Education Programme was expanded to include not only slide shows but video shows as well. Other programmes like health talks and broadcasting in housing estates were continued.
A total of 2 180 000 copies of poster, pamphlet and stickers were issued out to the public and there were 16 900 occasions of audio-visual materials loan-out to voluntary agencies and schools.
Close liaison was maintained with the media, medical professionals and other Government departments. The unit participated in innumerable television and radio programmes and press interviews in addition to providing advice and counselling to voluntary agencies and bodies for their health education activities.
Dental Service
The School Dental Care Service, introduced since 1980, provides regular dental examinations, siuple dental treatment and oral health education to primary school children. The response from parents to this type of preventive dentistry was very good. At the end of the eighth year of operation, the number of participants among primary school children bas reached some 352 483. The participation rate has increased to about 661 as compared with 29% in the first year. To enable the scheme to cover eventually all the primary school children, four more school dental clinics have been planned in addition to the existing four in operation.
The Government Dental Service provides dental care for all monthly paid civil servants, pensioners and their dependants as well as simple dental treatment for the inmates of penal institutions and specialist treatment for patients in Government hospitals. Emergency treatment is also provided to the public in a number of district dental clinics.
Radiation Health Service
The Radiation Health Unit, working under the direction of the Radiation Board, undertakes regular visits to medical, commercial and industrial premises to inspect the working condition of radiation workers. Radiation licences are issued to the proprietors in accordance with the Radiation Ordinance and Regulations. The unit also assisted in the
Background Radiation Monitoring Programme.
School Medical Service
The School Medical Service Scheme is operated by an independent statutory School Medical Service Board. The scheme offers an economic form of medical treatment service to all school children in Primary I to Form III. Participation is voluntary and, for a token fee of $10 a year, a participant can receive free medical attention from a general medical practitioner of the school's choice. The Government contributes $65 a year for each pupil enrolled and also bears the administrative cost of operating the Scheme. The general response to the Scheme is favourable and about 440 general medical practitioners are enlisted in the Scheme.
Over 380 000 school children from 912 schools participated in the Scheme as at 31 March 1988, representing a coverage of about 48% of the total eligible school population.
The School Health Service, a Government responsibility, deals with the environmental health and sanitation of school premises and the control of communicable diseases, School health officers, health visitors and health inspectors make frequent inspections of schools, and advise on matters concerning the health of the children and organise special health educational activities and immunization campaign.
Port Health Service
The Port Health Service is the control authority to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases into the Territory via air, land, rail or sea and enforce by carrying out measures stipulated under the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance and the International Health Regulations.
The service operates a 24-hour health clearance service for all incoming vessels, including those ferrying refugees, and grants radio pratique to ships. It inspects and supervises the eradication of rats from ships on international voyages, ensures adequate standard of hygiene and sanitation on board vessels or aircraft, provides medical assistance to ships and planes within the Territory, and telecommunicates medical advice to vessels at high seas. It also provides facilities for vaccination, the issuing of international vaccination certificates and handles the issuing of cremation permits.
The health staff maintain close surveillance on the food catering service to international airlines to ensure that food and water supplied by the flight kitchen service is clean and safe.
Epidemiological information is exchanged regularly with the World Health Organisation in Geneva and its Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila and with neighbouring countries.
Hospitals
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Hospital and Clinic Services
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There are three types of hospitals in Hong Kong Government, Government-assisted and private with a total of 24 996 beds representing 4.4 beds per thousand of the population. Pressure on the service was experienced on all fronts, as reflected by the increase in attendance at out-patient clinics, accident and emergency departments and by the number of hospital admissions.
To ensure better co-ordination within the health sector, the Department adopts a regional approach in the planning and administration of medical and health services, Under the scheme, hospital and clinic facilities situated in a common geographical area are grouped together to form an integrated network of services. The aim is to ensure a more even utilization of medical facilities in both the Government and Government- subvented hospitals and clinics.
In 1987, the total attendance at Government and Government- assisted Accident and Emergency Departments was 1 197 523, averaging 3 281 attendances per day. A total of 668 161 patients were treated in the 14 Government and 20 Government-assisted hospitals.
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