XN000022-1978-12-31 — Page 4

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1978

3

THE SECOND MEDICAL SCHOOL IN HONG KONG IS TO BE ESTABLISHED AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG. THE FIRST PRE-CLINICAL INTAKE WILL BE IN 1981 AND THE SCHOOL WILL EVENTUALLY PRODUCE 100 DOCTORS A YEAR. THE NEW HOSPITAL AT SHA TIN WILL SERVE AS THE TEACHING HOSPITAL.

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, WHICH HAS HAD A MEDICAL SCHOOL SINCE THE UNIVERSITY'S FOUNDATION IN 1911, IT IS PLANNED TO ESTABLISH A DENTAL SCHOOL IN 1980. TO PROVIDE TEACHING FACILITIES, A NEW DENTAL TEACHING CLINIC WILL BE BUILT AND SOME EXISTING FACILITIES AT THE TUNG WAH HOSPITAL WILL BE CONVERTED AND UPGRADED TO PROVIDE 220 DENTAL TEACHING BEDS.

PLANNING WORK HAS ALSO STARTED ON THE NEW HONG KONG RED CROSS BLOOD TRANSFUSION CENTRE WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE READY BY 1981. THE CENTRE WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL THE BLOOD REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG.

AN EVALUATION REPORT ON THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE IN HONG KONG WAS COMPLETED AND 22 NURSES GRADUATED FROM THE FIRST GOVERNMENT-RUN COMMUNITY NURSING COURSE.

TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S SICK AND DISABLED, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE FURTHER EXPANDED. PSYCHIATRIC COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

ON THE HEALTH SIDE, THE GENERAL STATE OF HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CONTINUED TO BE GOOD,

THERE WERE TWO CHOLERA CASES REPORTED IN 1978, ONE IN KOWLOON AND THE OTHER IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. ALL APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.

THE INCIDENCE AND THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM TUBERCULOS IS CONTINUED TO DECLINE. ABOUT 98 PER CENT OF NEW-BORN BABIES ARE VACCINATED WITH B.C.G. - PROBABLY THE HIGHEST RATE IN THE WORLD. A CASE-FINDING CAMPAIGN WAS UNDERTAKEN IN APRIL WITH GOOD RESPONSE, THERE ARE PLANS TO LAUNCH ANOTHER MAJOR CAMPAIGN LATER THIS YEAR.

MEASLES WAS AT ONE TIME VERY PREVALENT AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE BUT, SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF ANTI-MEASLES VACCINE IN 1967, THE INCIDENCE HAS BEEN REDUCED DRASTICALLY AND THE PATTERN OF INFECTION IS NO LONGER BIENNIAL. ONE SMALL OUTBREAK IN THE CHILDREN OF THE ARMED FORCES WAS NOTED IN JUNE AND JULY,

NO CASE OF POLIOMYELITIS OR DIPHTHERIA WAS REPORTED DURING THE YEAR.

IN SEPTEMBER, RUBELLA VACCINATION WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE IMMUNISATION PROGRAMME FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE IMMUNISATION WAS DIRECTED AT GIRLS 11-14 YEARS AND WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE TO PREVENT THE OCCURANCE OF BABIES BORN WITH CONGENITAL RUBELLA DEFECTS.