XN000022-1973-06-18 — Page 5

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Monday, June 18, 1973

POOR RESPONSE TO ANTI-MEASLES CAMPAIGN

Response to this year's anti-measles campaign, which has just

ended, has been described by the Director of Medical and Health Services,

Dr. G.H. Choa, as "poor".

During the nine-week-long campaign 8,807 children were immunized

against measles compared with almost 13,000 in a similar one last year.

Dr. Choa said today: "I consider the figures poor in relation

to this particular campaign.

"But the public should realise these annual drives are run as

'reminders' for parents who have not had their children immunized during

normal visits to our maternal and child health centres."

He stressed that although the campaign itself was over, and the

special vaccine facilities and door-to-door visits to housing estates

had ended, anti-measles vaccinations were still routinely available free

at these centres.

In the ninth and last week of this year's campaign, a total of

896 doses of the vaccine was administered

and 183 in the New Territories.

161 on the Island, 552 in Kowloon,

Dr. Choa recalled that the last epidemic of the disease occurred

in the winter-spring of 1966-67. Free anti-measles vaccine became available

from December 1967. Since then, the incidence of, and deaths from measles

had remained low, "due, at least in part, to the immunization facilities,

which are now on a year-round basis."

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