THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1974
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DR. CHOA PUT TWO QUESTIONS TO THE AUDIENCE BEFORE ANSWERING THEM HIMSELF. HAD HONG KONG REACHED THE STAGE WHERE AN EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO FIND CASES? HOW BEST TO MAKE USE OF THE CHEST OR TUBERCULOSIS BEDS IN THE FUTURE?
HIS REPLY TO THE FIRST WAS THAT, PREVIOUSLY, WITH THE HEAVY DEMAND FOR TREATMENT IN BOTH OUT-PATIENT CLINICS AND HOSPITALS, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRACTICAL TO CARRY OUT CASE FINDING BE- CAUSE THE CASES SO +FOUND+ COULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED ADEQUATE TREATMENT. BUT NOW THAT CHEST CLINICS VERE NO LONGER OVER- WHELMED, AND THERE WAS NO WAITING LIST FOR ADMISSION INTO HOSPITAL, CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING MORE EFFORT INTO CASE FINDING.
HE THOUGHT THE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON HEALTH EDUCATION TO CONVEY CERTAIN SIMPLE MESSAGES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THESE COULD INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, THE ADVICE TO GET ALL BABIES VACCINATED WITH B.C.G., AND THE RECOMMENDATION TO ALL RESIDENTS WHO HAD A COUGH LASTING MORE THAN THO WEEKS TO GO FOR A CHEST X-RAY, BOTH SERVICES BEING FREE IN GOVERNMENT CLINICS.
WITH REGARD TO THE SECOND QUESTION, THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE FUTURE USE OF HOSPITAL BEDS PRESENTLY RESERVED FOR TUBERCULOSIS CASES, SINCE MORE AND MORE PATIENTS WERE NOW BEING TREATED ON AN OUT-PATIENT BASIS, AND MORE FACILITIES FOR CHEST CLINICS IN FUTURE POLYCLINICS HAD BEEN PROVIDED FOR.
HE WAS HOPEFUL THAT AN EMINENT AUTHORITY ON CHEST DISEASES WOULD VISIT HONG KONG EARLY IN 1975 TO CONDUCT A SURVEY ON THIS AND RELATED ISSUES. IF THE VISIT TOOK PLACE, A REPORT COULD BE LAID BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION AT ITS NEXT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
DR. CHOA CONGRATULATED MR. DHUN RUTTONJEE, THE ASSOCIATION'S CHAIRMAN, FOR HIS FULL RECOVERY FROM A RECENT ILLNESS. HE PAID THE CHAIRMAN A WARM TRIBUTE FOR HIS WORK IN THE FIELD OF TUBERCULOSIS IN HONG KONG, FOR WHICH HE HAD WON AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AND MANY HONOURS.
DR. CHOA THEN THANKED PROFESSOR A.J.S. MCFADZEAN FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE ASSOCIATION, AND FOR HAVING, FOR 25 YEARS, DE- DICATED HIMSELF TO MEDICINE AND MEDICAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG.
DR. CHOA ALSO REFERRED TO THE SILVER JUBILEE OF THE RUTTON- JEE SANATORIUM, AND EXPRESSED THE GOVERNMENT'S GRATITUDE TO THE COLUMBAN SISTERS FOR THEIR EXCELLENT CARE OF, AND WHOLE-HEARTED SERVICE TO, TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS.
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