THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1989
8
HONG KONG ENJOYS HIGH STANDARD OF HEALTH
THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, DR S.H. LEE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY)
THAT THE GENERAL LEVEL OF HEALTH IN HONG KONG CONTINUES TO BE GOOD.
ELABORATING ON POINTS IN THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY SPEECH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR LEE SAID THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HONG KONG WAS 74.5 YEARS FOR MALES AND 79.9 YEARS FOR FEMALES.
"THESE ARE HIGHER THAN IN MANY ADVANCED COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN," HE ADDED.
"AS FOR THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE, IT HAS DROPPED FROM 37.7 PER THOUSAND LIVE BIRTHS IN 1961 TO 7.6 IN 1988, WHILE THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE FOR THE SAME PERIOD DROPPED FROM 0.45 PER TOTAL BIRTUS TO 0.04, HE SAID.
DR LEE TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT MANY CHILDHOOD DISEASES HAD EITHER BEEN BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL OR ERADICATED.
184
THOUSAND
INFECTIOUS VIRTUALLY
CASES OF
IN 1961, 1,334 CASES OF DIPHTHERIA, AND POLIOMYELITIS WERE REPORTED, WHEREAS IN 1988 NONE OF THESE DISEASES WERE NOTIFIED.
OCCURRENCE OF
"THERE IS, HOWEVER, NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY AND THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE то MAINTAIN HIGH VIGILANCE ON THE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND DEVELOP FURTHER SERVICES FOR THE PROMOTION OF GOOD HEALTH AND THE PREVENTION OF DISEASES, HE SAID.
"
ON PRIMARY HEALTH CARE (PHC), HE SAID MEMBERS OF A WORKING PARTY, SET UP IN AUGUST TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF HONG KONG'S PHC SERVICES, WAS COLLECTING DATA AND OPINIONS, AND A SURVEY WOULD BE CARRIED OUT NEXT MONTH ON THE GENERAL OUT-PATIENT AND FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES TO FIND OUT THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF THE PROVIDERS AND USERS.
IN ADDITION, DR LEE SAID, THE WORKING PARTY WAS LOOKING ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF DELIVERING PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN HONG KONG.
AT
THIS WOULD INCLUDE VISITS BY MEMBERS OF THE WORKING PARTY TO OTHER COUNTRIES TO STUDY THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS THERE.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING PARTY WERE EXPECTED ΤΟ BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
IN THE MEANTIME, DR LEE SAID, A CLINIC MANAGEMENT HAD BEEN SET UP BY THE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK INTO THE VARIOUS THE GENERAL OUT-PATIENT SERVICE TO BRING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS.
COMMITTEE AREAS OF
/REFERRING TO