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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1974
HEALTHIER BABIES AND FEWER INFANT MORTALITIES
CREDIT TO FAMILY HEALTH SERV ICE
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HEALTHIER BABIES ARE BORN AND FEWER BABIES DIE UNNECESSARILY BECAUSE OF COMMON INFECTIOUS DISEASES SUCH AS MEASLES.
MUCH OF THE CREDIT FOR THE BIRTH OF HEALTHY BABIES AND THE LOW INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN RECENT YEARS GOES TO THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
THESE CLINICS ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROVISION OF A WIDE RANGE OF VALUABLE SERVICES FOR BOTH BABIES AND MOTHERS.
THESE SERVICES (WITH THE CHARGES BEING KEPT TO THE MINIMUM IF NOT FREE) INCLUDE BABY DELIVERY, INFANT CARE, FREE VACCINATIONS FOR BABIES, FAMILY PLANNING SERVICE, AND WELL-ORGANISED MATERNAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR MOTHERS. THERE ARE HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMES ON NUTRITION,
HOME SAFETY, FEEDING PROBLEMS, INFANT CARE, ADVICE ON FAMILY PLANNING AND BIRTH CONTROL.
THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE SCHEME DATES BACK TO APRIL 1932 WHEN THERE WAS ONLY ONE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CLINIC IN LOCKHART ROAD. SUBSEQUENT EXPANSION LED TO THE OPENING OF TWO MORE AFTER THE WAR IN 1946.
TODAY, THERE ARE 37 CLINICS EACH MANNED BY A MEDICAL OFFICER AND FIVE TO SEVEN PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING STAFF. TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE CLINICS ALSO PROVIDE DELIVERY SERVICE.
IN ORDER TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND OF A GROWING POPULATION, FOUR NEW CLINICS ARE PLANNED FOR IN LEI MUK SHU, LAM TIN, NGAU TAU KOK AND LOWER KWAI CHUNG, FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF BABIES AND MOTHERS.
OF THE 80,400 BABIES BORN LAST YEAR, ABOUT 76,000 (94 PER CENT) ATTENDED THESE CLINICS.
ON THIS HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ATTENDANCE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE SAID THAT PUBLICITY IN MAKING THE VARIOUS SERVICES KNOWN TO MOTHERS HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. THE INCEREASING APPRECIATION OF THE VALUE OF THE SERVICES AMONG THE EXPECTANT AND NURSING MOTHERS IS ALSO ANOTHER FACTOR.
SHE NOTED THAT AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE IS HEALTH EDUCATION WHICH TAKES THE FORM OF TALKS + INTERVIEWS AND GROUP DISCUSSIONS SUPPLEMENTED BY, VISUAL AIDS. THERE ARE 40 TOPICS, MAINLY ON NUTRITION, HOME SAFETY, INFANT CARE AND FEEDING PROBLEM.
+ THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME IS MET WITH ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT. EVER SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION, THERE HAS BEEN A
REMARKABLE DROP IN INFANT MORTALITIES CAUSED BY INFECTIOUS DISEASES,+ SHE SAID.
/IN 1973