15
Organisation of the Tuberculosis Services.
The Government is the principal factor in the tuberculosis services. In addition to operating its own services, grants are given to the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association which is the only body solely occupied in the fight against tuberculosis, and to other voluntary societies which inclule assistance to the tuberculous among their activitie
The cost of the Government Tuberculosis Services cannot be ascertained as the clinics and beds for treatment - in all cases situated in general hospitals - are not budgetted separately.
The expenditure of the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association including working expenses of Ruttonjee Sanatorium for the year 1950 was H.K. 4506,774 (exclusive of various gifts in kind) of which the Government contributed H.K. $150,000 the remainder being obtained from various sources by donations etc.
There is no national or general insurance scheme in operation and the financial provision made for the individual tuberculosis sufferer varias considerably. Before the war few firms were prepared to give sickleave with pay to their employees but the number of such firms has increased since the war, Some trade unions have fuxis set aside for the benefit of their sick maxbera, but traie wions vary considerably in the extent of their resources,
The Goverment Tuberculosis Jervice has limited funds available for the assistance of cases of tuberculosis selected on clinical and social grounds,
The Government Tuberculosis Pervice is organised and operated by the Medical Department of the Hong Kong Government under the direction of the Director of Medical and Health Services, It is a mb-department of the Medical Department as are the Laboratory Service, the X-ray Department etc. The personal engaged full time are as follows
Director (Tuberculosis Specialist)
Physicians Clinic
Tuberculosis Nurses
Social Workers
Tuberculosis Visitors
Tuberculosis Almoners.
These are not trained mærses but are a combination of nurse and scaial worker, They are recruited"green" and trained along special lines to equip them for their duties, They operate under the Almoner and are responsible for måntain- ing contact between clinic and patient, home propaganda, contact examination etc.
In addition to the above there are medical and mursing staff doing full or part time tuberculosis work in Government Hospitals, They are not part of the tuberculosis service but of the Medical Department, but close contact is maintained and continuity of treatment and documentation is assured, Liasion is also maintained with the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association who aduit all patients to their hospital - the Rutonjes Sanatorium - through Government Tuberculosis Clinics, although they follow up their ow
A further group of cases sɩbsequent to discharge from hospital. general hospitals operated by a Chinese Charitable organisation - The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals - adait mainly advanced cuses of tuberculosis not as part of the Tube culosis Service but in con- junction with general medical work, These hospitals operate under Government subsidy - the amount for 1950 being HK. $4,000,000,
Correlation between the Medical Department of the Govern.ent ani the Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis association is at present maintained through the person of Dr. L. Newton, the Government Director of Medical
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