WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1982
LAST YEAR. ABOUT 90 PER CENT OF THE NEWLY BORN BABIES ATTENDED THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTRES.
THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE FOR THE YEAR WAS 9.7 PER THOUSAND LIVE BIRTHS, DOWN FROM 11.8 IN 1980.
THE REPORT POINTS OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THE MATERNITY MORTALITY RATE WAS 0.08 PER THOUSAND TOTAL BIRTHS, AS COMPARED WITH 0.05 IN 1980. THE MAJOR CAUSE OF MATERNAL DEATHS WERE POSTPARTUM HAEMORRHAGE AND OBSTETRICAL PULMONARY EMBOLISM.
THE DECLINING INCIDENCE OF LEPROSY FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF DECADES CONTINUED THROUGH 1981 DURING WHICH ONLY 55 NEW CASES WERE TREATED, REPRESENTING AN INCIDENCE RATE OF 1.1 PER 100 000 POPULATION.
THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT RUNS A METHADONE MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS DETOXIFICATION SCHEME FOR DRUG ADDICTS, HANDLING A DAILY AVERAGE OF 6 000 TO 7 000 CASES.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRIC BEDS AT THE END OF 1981 WAS 3 184, AND IN LINE WITH THE UNIVERSAL TREND OF OPERATING SMALL PSYCHIATRIC UNITS IN GENERAL HOSPITALS, IT WAS INTENDED THAT AN ADDITIONAL 2 200 BEDS WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE VARIOUS FUTURE MEDICAL PROJECTS, THE REPORT SAID.
IN 1981, THERE WERE 6 359 ADMISSIONS TO THE MENTAL HOSPITALS, 546 TO THE VARIOUS DAY HOSPITALS AND 169 018 ATTENDANCES AT THE OUT-PATIENT PSYCHIATRIC CENTRES.
THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL BEDS AT THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AT THE END OF 1981 STOOD AT 10 281 AND AT THE GOVERNMENT-ASSISTED INSTITUTIONS AT 8 755.
CHAIRMAN, MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION
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IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS APPROVED THE APPOINTMENT OF MR C.W. NEWTON TO SUCCEED MR N.S. THOMPSON, C.B.E., AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION.
MR NEWTON, WHO IS 54 YEARS OF AGE, IS AT PRESENT THE GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TURNER AND NEWALL PLC, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
HE FORMERLY HELD HAVING JOINED THEM IN 1968 AS FINANCE DIRECTOR. SENIOR POSITIONS WITH MOBIL OIL IN AFRICA AND JAPAN.
HE IS EXPECTED TO
MR NEWTON IS MARRIED WITH FOUR CHILDREN. ARRIVE IN HONG KONG ON 1ST MAY 1983 TO TAKE UP HIS NEW APPOINTMENT.