XN000022-1980-03-27 — Page 21

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1980

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HEALTH CARE EXHIBITION OPENS

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A CHILD NEEDS TO BE HEALTHY IN ORDER TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP HIS POTENTIALS AND TO LIVE A FULL ADULT LIFE.

THIS WAS STATED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, MR ROGER LOBO, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HEALTHY NEW GENERATION EXHIBITION ORGANISED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT CITY HALL THIS MORNING.

HE STRESSED THAT THE EARLY YEARS OF CHILDHOOD WERE OF CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE AS THE BASIS OF HEALTH, AND THE FOUNDATION OF GOOD HEALTH CAME FROM GOOD HEALTH HABITS WHICH WERE LAID DOWN IN THE FAMILY AND IN SCHOOLS THROUGH HEALTH EDUCATION.

MR LOBO SAID PROVISION OF SERVICES WAS ALSO IMPORTANT IN IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN. HOWEVER, HE SAID PROVISION OF EVEN THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED HEALTH FACILITIES WOULD NOT HELP IF PEOPLE DID NOT MAKE THEIR OWN EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE HEALTH.

HE POINTED OUT THAT PRENATAL CARE, EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF PRENATAL COMPLICATIONS AND OTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SAFE DELIVERY OF A NORMAL HEALTHY CHILD,

+IN FACT, THIS AS I UNDERSTAND, IS ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.+

IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS EARLIER, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, POINTED OUT THAT THE HEALTH STATUS OF HONG KONG CHILDREN IS AMONG THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC DROP OF THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE FROM 73.6 PER THOUSAND LIVE BIRTHS TO 11.8, HE SAID.

AMONG THE FACTORS LEADING TO THIS REMARKABLE RESULT IS THE OUTCOME OF YEARS OF HARD WORK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH THE PROVISION OF EASILY ACCESSIBLE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND OBSTETRIC AND PAEDIATRIC MEDICAL CARE, SAID DR THONG.

HE SAID MANY NEW PROGRAMMES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON HEALTH PROMOTION HAVE BEEN REALISED IN RECENT YEARS, INCLUDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANY PROGRAMMES SUCH AS RESTRUCTURING OF THE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE WITH FAMILY PLANNING INTEGRATED, THE INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE OBSERVATION SCHEME AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT. +ALL THESE SERVICES AIM AT IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD,+ HE SAID.

+THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS EXHIBITION IS, THEREFORE, TO IMPROVE THE PARENT'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE KIND OF SELF-CARE AND BABY- REARING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE WHICH WOULD ENSURE A HEALTHY CHILD, DR THONG ADDED.

DURING THE CEREMONY, MRS LOBO PRESENTED PRIZES TO THE WINNERS OF THE CHILDREN SAFETY PÓSTER DESIGN COMPETITION,

ISITORS "C