XN000022-1980-03-28 — Page 11

FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1980

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CHEMOTHERAPY SHORTENS TREATMENT PERIOD

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THE SHORT COURSE CHEMOTHERAPY RECENTLY INTRODUCED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHICH CUT DOWN TREATMENT PERIOD FROM A YEAR AND HALF TO LESS THAN SIX MONTHS HAS ACHIEVED FAVOURABLE RESULTS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS, CHEST AND HEART DISEASES ASSOCIATION THIS EVENING.

+IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO ASSESS THE PROGRAMME AS A WHOLE BUT ALL PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT IS GOING TO PROVE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND THAT THE INCREASED EXPENDITURE ON EXPENSIVE NEW DRUGS IS GOING TO PROVE FULLY JUSTIFIED, HE SAID,

FOR MANY YEARS, THE TREND OF NOTIFICATION OF TUBERCULOSIS, STILL A VERY IMPORTANT DISEASE IN HONG KONG, HAD BEEN GOING DOWN BY FIVE PER CENT PER ANNUM UNTIL LAST YEAR, WHEN THE NOTIFICATION RATE ROSE TO 161 PER 100 000 FROM 144 IN 1978.

DR THONG, WHO IS ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION, ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASE TO THE LARGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE INTO HONG KONG AND A CASE-FINDING CAMPAIGN ORGANISED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

DR THONG STRESSED THAT THE PRESENT SITUATION WAS ONLY TEMPORARY. WHEN THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE COULD BE CONTAINED, THE MENACE OF THIS COMMUNICABLE DISEASE WOULD AGAIN CONTINUE TO RECEDE.

HE SAID THE CASE-FINDING CAMPAIGN MOUNTED LAST SUMMER WITH ELDERLY MALES AS THE TARGET GROUP RESULTED IN A 20 PER CENT RISE IN ATTENDANCES AT GOVERNMENT CHEST CLINICS.

DR THONG SAID THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAD CHANGED ITS TITLE TO THE PRESENT ONE TO INDICATE ITS EXPANDED ROLE AND, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HONG KONG HEART FOUNDATION, IS CONVERTING THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL INTO A MAJOR CARDIO-THORACIC CENTRE.

AN AD HOC COMMITTEE HAS ALSO BEEN FORMED TO DEAL WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE RUTTONJEE SANATORIUM AS A RESULT OF THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE ASSOCIATION, HE ADDED.

IN THE PAST YEAR, DR THONG SAID THE ASSOCIATION TOOK PART IN THE OVERALL MEDICAL SERVICES FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN HONG KONG AT THE REQUEST OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES. ITS MOBILE UNIT X-RAYED OVER 2 000 REFUGEES AND MADE ABOUT 160 REFERENCES TO THE NEARBY GOVERNMENT CHEST CLINICS.

HE ADDED THAT EXTENSION PROJECT OF THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY A $10 MILLION DONATION FROM MR KWOK TAK-SANG, A $2 MILLION DONATION FROM THE ASSOCIATION AND THE CAPITAL ŠUBVENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

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