FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1985
17
MORE TUBERCULOSIS CASES REPORTED LAST YEAR
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THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTIFICATIONS OF TUBERCULOSIS HAS INCREASED IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR WHILE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM TUBERCULOSIS HAS FALLEN, SAID DR K.L. THONG, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES TODAY (FRIDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG TUBERCULOSIS, CHEST AND HEART DISEASES ASSOCIATION OF WHICH HE IS THE PRESIDENT.
ACCORDING TO STATISTICS, THE TOTAL NOTIFICATIONS FOR TUBERCULOSIS HAD INCREASED FROM 7 301 IN 1983 TO 7 843 IN 1984 AND THE NOTIFICATION RATE FROM 137.4 TO 146.2 PER 100 000 POPULATION.
+TUBERCULOSIS REMAINS AN IMPORTANT DISEASE IN HONG KONG DESPITE THE CONTINUED DILIGENCE AND A DYNAMIC PROGRAMME IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST IT, DR THONG SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE INCREASE IN NOTIFICATION WAS DUE TO THREE FACTORS INCLUDING AN INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DISEASE, AN INCREASED RESPONSE TO CASE FINDING MEASURES AND THE MOVEMENT OF POPULATION FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE REGION WITH HIGHER INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS.
DESPITE THE INCREASE IN NOTIFICATION, THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM TUBERCULOSIS CONTINUED TO FALL FROM 446 IN 1983 TO 420 IN 1984. THE DEATH RATE HAD ALSO FALLEN FROM 8.4 TO 7.8 PER 100 000 POPULATION.
+THIS HAS SHOWN THAT THE DISEASE IS CURABLE AND HAS REFLECTED THE EFFICACY OF THE DRUG TREATMENT REGIME IN HONG KONG, DR THONG SAID.
TURNING TO LUNG CANCER, DR THONG STRESSED THAT MORE RESEARCH INTO WAYS TO IMPROVE THERAPY IS STILL NECESSARY AS THE NUMBER OF LUNG CANCER CASES HAS NOT LESSENED.
LAST YEAR, LUNG CANCER HAS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF
2 128 PEOPLE. AN INCREASE OF 126 PEOPLE WHEN COMPARED WITH
THE FIGURE OF 1983.
DR THONG FELT THAT IF SMOKING COULD BE PROGRESSIVELY REDUCED, THE OCCURRENCE OF LUNG CANCER WOULD CERTAINLY DECLINE.
+ IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO DISCOURAGE ADOLESCENTS
AND YOUNG ADULTS FROM STARTING TO SMOKE, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN WAS STARTED THREE YEARS AGO, THERE HAD BEEN A DEFINITE REDUCTION IN SMOKERS AND IN CIGARETTE CONSUMPTION.
AS REGARDS ...................