Wednesday, June 16, 1971
LEPROSY UNDER CONTROL IN HONG KONG
Government Plans To Phase Out Leprosarium
Plans for phasing out and eventually closing the leprosarium
on Hay Ling Chau are now being considered by Government.
Leprosy has now been brought under control in Hong Kong, thanks
to well-planned leprosy care and control programmes conducted by the Leprosy
Mission, Hong Kong Auxiliary end the Medical and Health Department.
The general pattern throughout the world is to integrate leprosy
treatment into normal medical services, as it is thought that the admission
of patients into a leprosarium, as distinct from a general hospital, makes
subsequent rehabilitation and integration into the community more difficult.
For many years, the Social Hygiene Services of the Medical and
Health Department have been providing out-patient treatment for leprosy
patients through their special "skin" clinics, and leprosy patients suffering
from other diseases are already being treated in the public wards of
Government hospitals.
The number of patients on Hay Ling Chau has been decreasing each
year. Once there were 540 patients, today there are only 215, including
118 non-contagious patients who are admitted only for follow-up, observation,
convalescence, etc.
By 1974, when the change is contemplated, it is estimated that
there will be less than 80 patients needing continued institutional care
while others can be treated on an out-patient basis.
/For these