XN000022-1978-02-24 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1978

RAPID DROP IN NUMBER OF TB CASES

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IMPROVED TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS AND COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE POPULATION, PARTICULARLY THOSE AT SPECIAL RISK, HAVE RESULTED IN A RAPID DECLINE IN THE INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS WHICH WAS ONCE HONG KONG'S TOP KILLER DISEASE.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L. THONG, WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-TB AND THORACIC DISEASES ASSOCIATION OF WHICH HE IS THE PRESIDENT.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NOTIFICATION RATE OF TUBERCULOSIS HAS FALLEN FROM 697.2 PER 100,000 POPULATION IN 1952 TO 168.4 PER 100,000 IN 1977, WHILE THE DEATH RATE HAS ALSO DROPPED FROM 159.3 TO 11.8 PER 100,000 IN THE SAME PERIOD.

AS A RESULT OF THIS DECLINE, BEDS WHICH WERE NO LONGER REQUIRED FOR THE TREATMENT OF TB CASES HAVE NOW BEEN USED TO RELIEVE PRESSURES IN OTHER AREAS, SAID DR. THONG.

FOR INSTANCE, FORMER TB BEDS HAVE BEEN USED AT THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL TO RELIEVE PRESSURES ON QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL AND SIMILARLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FORMER TB BEDS AT CARITAS MEDICAL CENTRE ARE BEING USED FOR ACUTE PATIENTS REFERRED FROM QUEEN ELIZABETH AND PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITALS.

DR. THONG SAID: +WE MAY BE WINNING THE BATTLE AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS, BUT THE BATTLE IS NOT YET OVER AND ANY RELAXATION COULD CAUSE A RESURGENCE OF THE DISEASE.+

+ IT IS IMPORTANT THEREFORE TO MAINTAIN OUR VIGILENCE AND TO CONTINUE WITH OUR MEASURES, HE ADDED.

DR. THONG SAID THERE WERE STILL SOME 7,000 NEW CASES OF TJBERCULOSIS WITH 500 DEATHS IN 1977, WHICH SHOWED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL A LARGE ONE.

HE SAID THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE LAUNCHING A TB CASE-FINDING CAMPAIGN EARLY NEXT MONTH TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE EARLY ACTION WHEN SYMPTOMS REFERRABLE TO THE CHEST OCCURRED.

WITH THIS HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, THE DEPARTMENT HOPES TO GET PEOPLE WITH SYMPTOMS OF PERSISTENT COUGH FOR MORE THAN FOUR WEEKS TO COME TO THE GOVERNMENT CHEST CLINICS FOR A CHECK-UP.

DR. THONG SAID THAT PRESENT DAY TREATMENT FOR TUBERCULOSIS IS VERY EFFECTIVE, COMPLETELY FREE AND DOES NOT DISRUPT THE PATIENT'S NORMAL WORK.

+GOVERNMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS OUR OWN ANTI-TE AND THORACIC DISEASES ASSOCIATION ARE STILL SPENDING ENORMOUS SUMS OF MONEY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS, AND IT IS MY GREAT HOPE THAT WITH STEADY PROGRESS BEING MADE THIS MONEY AS WITH FORMER TB BEDS CAN BE DIVERTED TO OTHER WORTHWHILE MEDICAL PROJECTS,+ HE SAID.

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