3
-
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1980
SIR JACK EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION TO THE UNOFFICIALS FOR THE QUALITY OF THE IR SPEECHES AND FOR THEIR DEVOTION TO THE SERVICE OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE PUBLIC.
HE ALSO EMPHASISED HIS APPRECIATION TO MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR THE PATIENCE AND DEDICATION WITH WHICH THEY CARRIED OUT THE IR DUTIES, AND WARMLY WELCOMED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STANDING COMMISSION CONCERNING STAFF CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY.
HONG KONG HAS STRINGENT HEALTH CONTROL MEASURES
*****
HONG KONG HAS BEEN FREE FROM MAJOR EPIDEMICS FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF THE VERY STRINGENT CONTROL MEASURES BY THE HEALTH AUTHORITY AGAINST COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THIS CONTROL MECHANISM, HE SAID. IS EMBODIED IN A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONSISTING OF A NETWORK OF MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CLINICS, SPECIALIST CLINICS, CASUALTY DEPARTMENTS, OUTPATIENT CLINICS AND PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS,
+THIS SYSTEM OF PREVENTION AND CONTROL IS FURTHER COMPLEMENTED BY THE FACILITIES AVAILABLE IN THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT LABORATORIES, HEALTH OFFICES AND REGIONAL HOSPITALS FOR LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS, ISOLATION, INVESTIGATION AND TREATMENT OF CONTACTS AND CASES,+ HE ADDED.
DR THONG WAS COMMENTING ON EARLIER SUGGESTIONS, BY DR THE HON HARRY FANG IN THE DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS, THAT HEALTH SCREENING BE PROVIDED FOR IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA TO DETECT AND PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES.
+AS LONG AS THIS CONTROL MECHANISM IS EFFICIENT AND WELL MAINTAINED, SAID THE DIRECTOR, THERE IS LITTLE DANGER OF ENDEMIC DISEASES AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY IN EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT ONE ESSENTIAL FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE EFFICIENT WORKING OF THE CONTROL MECHANISM WAS THAT IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA HAVE SHOWN MUCH THE SAME PREVALENCE AND PATTERN OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AS IN HONG KONG.
HE ADDED THAT THIS PATTERN HAD OVER THE YEARS REMAINED BY AND LARGE SIMILAR AND CONSTANT.
THIS, DR THONG EXPLAINED, WAS TO BE EXPECTED BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE GEOGRAPHICAL AND IDENTICAL CLIMATIC AND ETHNIC FACTORS AND THE PRACTICALLY FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS TO AND FRO ACROSS THE COMMON BORDER.
+THUS, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA MAY BE REGARDED AS A HOMOGENOUS GROUP WHICH CAN AND IS MOST CONVENIENTLY AND APPROPRIATELY COVERED BY THE NORMAL CONTROL MECHANISM WHICH 1 HAME JUST DESCRIBED, HE ADDED.
FROM TIME