Patients readily accept operative treatment but, unfortunately, facilities for this work are so limited that there is constantly a long list of patients awaiting this form of treatment.
Social Work.
156. The Tuberculosis Almoner with her 4 assistants is responsible for all social work in connexion with the Tuber- culosis Service, The task facing this staff is indeed formidable for the social problems of Hong Kong's population in general are greatly accentuated in the sufferers of tuberculosis. There is in the Colony no general scheme of unemployment relief or sickness benefit and it is the Almoner's task to fill this gap as best she can. To some extent she does so by providing tem- porary Albancial relief in appropriate cases and for this purpose she has, at her disposal, some $100,000. However, this sum is not entirely available for this purpose and other calls upon it are for such Items as the purchase of milk powder for patients undergoing out-patient treatment, payment of hawkers' licence fees, repatriation of patients, etc. This money is wisely disposed of and meets a very real need.
157. Allowances are generally only available to early cases undergoing treatment in hospital who had been obliged to give up work.
The scale of weekly allowances is as follows:
First Dependent
Second
Third
H
kk
Each subsequent dependant
$15
$12
$ 5
In addition to the foregoing allowances are also given to assist with rent, school fees, etc., and the maximum amount paid is not permitted to exceed 75% of the worker's wage.
158. The Almonera attempt to ensure the regular attendance of cases for out-patient treatment. They are also responsible
for the distribution of milk powder to patients and the main- tenance of hospital waiting lists.
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159. The work of the Almoners' Section is summarized below:
Number of patients Interviewed Adraission to hospital arranged
1959
195%
LOCAT
12,805
12.116
790
773
Blood donors arranged
16
44
Transfers between bospitals
271
Home visits
611
606
gym
Number of families on financial
assistance
130
101
$21.70
$24.02
28,776 The.
23
11,940 lba.
12
11
Average weekly grant
Milk powder distributed fone pound
per head per week) ............ Ilawkers Licences obtained Patients (or relations) placed in
employment
Tuberculosis Visitors.
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160. Tuberculosis Visitors who work under the direction of the Almoners have not had formal health visitor training but they have had special training within the Department to fit them for their duties in the Tuberculosis Service. There are 23 of these visitors and their main functions are to report on home conditions, arrange for the examination of contacts and Lo educate the patient and his family in simple methods of preventing the spread of the infection within the home and elsewhere. They are, in fact, the Almoners' field staff and they perform a most useful function.
161. The work carried out by these visitors is summarized as follows:
Total number of firat visits made
Total number of reviølls
JAST
1952
17.508
10.089
4.570
3,315
Addresses not found
1,786
1,401
4
Contact examinations arranged
28.327
11,988
Contact examinations completed
11,524
1,036
Number of patients known to have-
(a) Died
1,126
1.014
(b) Returned to village
CAMPINAN
384
289
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