REDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1980
FROM TIME TO TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS AN INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS, THERE MAY BE AN INCREASED INCIDENCE IN CERTAIN ENDEMIC DISEASES.
HOWEVER, SUCH TEMPORARY INCREASE, SAID DR THONG, HAS BEEN AND CAN BE CONTAINED BY THE NORMAL SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL MECHANISM.
IN THE RECENT OUTBREAK OF RABIES, FOR INSTANCE, THE FIRST HUMAN CASE WAS DIAGNOSED CLINICALLY AND CONFIRMED BY LABORATORY METHODS IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE DISEASE HAS BEEN ABSENT FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, HE SAID.
DETECTION IN TURN IMMEDIATELY SET IN MOTION, AND WITHOUT PANIC, THE NECESSARY PREVENTIVE AND OTHER CONTROL MEASURES ON THE PART OF BOTH THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AND THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HE ADDED.
DR THONG POINTED OUT THAT RABIES IS A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE WHICH PRIMARILY AFFECTS WARM-BLOODED MAMMALS USUALLY OF THE FOUR-FOOTED VARIETY WITH NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS.
+ITS EPIDEMIOLOGY IS SUCH THAT ANY HEALTH SCREENING DIRECTED AT SYMPTOMLESS IMMIGRANTS WOULD BE QUITE UNPRODUCT I VE AND WOULD NOT BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE,+ HE SAID.
THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROLS, HONG KONG HAS EXCELLED IN COMPARISON WITH EVEN THE MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
+THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS ALL THE MORE SIGNIFICANT IN THAT WE HAVE BEEN AN OASIS FREE FROM MAJOR EPIDEMICS IN THE MIDST OF TERRITORIES WHERE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES OF PUBLIC HEALTH
IMPORTANCE EXIST EITHER IN EPIDEMIC OR ENDEMIC FORM,+ HE SAID.
THE ACHIEVEMENT IS DUE TO THE EFFECTIVE HEALTH SCREENING AND HEALTH EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, WHICH HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE PORT HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
+THAT THIS SYSTEM HAS PROVEN RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT FOR A CONSIDERABLE LENGTH OF TIME IN THE PAST, HAVING WITHSTOOD THE IMPACT OF CONSTANT AS WELL AS SUDDEN AND REPEATED MASSIVE INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS, IS STRONG TESTIMONY THAT IT IS STILL OUR BEST DEFENCE AGAINST EPIDEMICS OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES,+ SAID THE DIRECTOR.
COMMENTING ON DR FANG'S OTHER SUGGESTION FOR A CORPORATE BOARD SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT IN HOSPITAL, DR THONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERING SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS IN THE COURSE OF ITS REVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOME TIME.
THE PROPOSED SYSTEM, KNOWN AS THE COGWHEEL SYSTEM+, ENVISAGED THAT A REGIONAL HOSPITAL BE MANAGED BY A MANAGEMENT TEAM CONSISTING OF A CHAIRMAN WHO WILL ALSO BE CHAIRMAN OF A MEDICAL COMMITTEE ELECTED AND APPOINTED FROM AMONGST CONSULTANTS, HE SAID.
THE TERK