[
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13. 1974
HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT TO BE SET UP
*****
A HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT WILL BE SET UP BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT COMMON DISEASES AND THEIR MANIFESTATIONS.
ANNOUNCING THIS AT A ROTARY CLUB LUNCHEON TODAY, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. GERALD CHOA, SAID THE UNIT WOULD USE PUBLICITY AND COUNSELLING METHODS BECAUSE THESE WERE SAFE, AND WOULD WIDELY DIFFUSE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH CONTROL.
HE NOTED THAT EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE HAD REDUCED THE INCIDENCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, SUCH AS MALARIA AND PLAGUE.
IMMUNISATION PROGRAMMES HAD PRODUCED SATISFACTORY RESULTS WITH REGARD TO DISEASES SUCH AS SMALLPOX, CHOLERA, DIPHTHERIA, TUBERCULOSIS, POLIOMYELITIS AND MEASLES.
PEOPLE WERE LIVING LONGER, BUT IN PLACE OF DISEASES UNDER CONTROL, HAD EMERGED OTHERS, WHICH HE COLLECTIVELY DESCRIBED AS +DISEASES OF CIVILISATION.+
HONG KONG WAS NO BETTER OFF THAN OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE SUCH DISEASES WERE ON THE INCREASE. DR. CHOA REFERRED IN PARTICULAR TO CANCER, HEART DISEASES, CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES AND THE UNFORTUNATE RESULTS OF MODERN ACCIDENTS.
HE DESCRIBED CANCER AS THE NUMBER ONS KILLER+. IN HONG KONG, AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO SPREAD CONCERN ABOUT IT SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HERE COULD BE WARNED AGAINST IT.
THERE WAS A PREVALENCE OF NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER AMONG THE CHINESE IN HONG KONG, BUT HERE GOOD COULD RESULT IF RADIOTHERAPY WERE APPLIED EARLY.
DR. CHOA REFERRED TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LUNG CANCER AND SMOKING, AND AGAIN, THE YOUNG SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS RELATIONSHIP, AND THE DANGER IMPLIED IN IT.
HEART DISEASES AND CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES, HE SAID, WERE RELATED TO HIGH-FAT DIETS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SHOULD BE DETECTED EARLY.
HE DISCUSSED ACCIDENTS IN FACTORIES, ON THE ROADS, AND AT HOME, AND SUGGESTED THAT PREVENTIVE SAFETY MEASURES WERE NECESSARY, INCLUDING THE TRAINING OF WORKERS.
HOUSEWIVES SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF ELECTRIC WIRING. THEY SHOULD NOT PLACE KNIVES AND MEDICINES WITHIN REACH OF CHILDREN. THEY SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE GAS IN THE BATHROOM.
BEFORE CONCLUDING, DR. CHOA SAID THE LIFE STYLES OF CERTAIN MODERN SOCIETIES CONTRIBUTED TO MENTAL DISEASES AND DRUG ADDICTION.
THE PROPOSED HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT WOULD STUDY SUCH PROBLEMS WITH A VIEW TO MAKING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEM WIDESPREAD FOR THE GENERAL GOOD.
15