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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1975
HONG KONG PEOPLE HEALTHIER THAN EVER, SAYS DR. CHOA
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THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ARE MUCH HEALTHIER THAN BEFORE IN PRACTICALLY ALL ASPECTS DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FREE MATERNAL AND CHILD, CHEST AND SOCIAL HYGIENE SERVICES.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. GERALD CHOA, IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF KWUN TONG THIS AFTERNOON.
HE SAID IN THE LAST TWO DECADES THERE HAVE BEEN MARKED REDUCTIONS IN INFANT AND MATERNAL DEATHS AND IN THE INCIDENCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, PARTICULARLY POLIO, SMALLPOX, DIPHTHERIA AND TUBERCULOSIS.
HE SAID THERE WERE MANY FACTORS WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR THE IMPROVEMENT IN PEOPLE'S HEALTH. +THERE HAS BEEN IMPROVEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, PEOPLE ARE MUCH BETTER NOURISHED, THEY ARE NOW BETTER EDUCATED IN HEALTH MATTERS, AND THEY HAVE DISCARDED MOST OF THEIR BELIEFS IN TRADITIONAL PRACTICES,+ HE SAID.
BUT THE AVAILABILITY OF FREE HEALTH SERVICES WAS ALSO AN ESSENTIAL FACTOR, HE ADDED.
IN THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICE, DR. CHOA SAID, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S 37 MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CLINICS PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES TO BOTH THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD FREE OF CHARGE.
AS A RESULT, THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE HAS DROPPED FROM 99.6 PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS IN 1950 TO 17.4 IN 1974 WHICH IS HIGHER THAN JAPAN'S 11.7 BUT LOWER THAN SINGAPORE'S 19.3 AND THAILAND'S 22.5.
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FREE VACCINES ARE GIVEN TO CHILDREN AGAINST SUCH DISEASES AS TUBERCULOSIS, SMALLPOX, POLIOMYELITIS, DIPHTHERIA AND MEASLES.
DR. CHOA SAID EFFORTS TO COMBAT TUBERCULOSIS, WHICH HAD BEEN REGARDED AS THE PRINCIPAL KILLER OF MANKIND, WERE MOST ENCOURAGING.
THE DEATH RATE OF THIS DISEASE PER 100,000 POPULATION HAD DROPPED FROM 120 IN 1955 TO ONLY 22.9 LAST YEAR, HE SAID.
/FROM THE
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