XN000022-1981-11-01 — Page 8

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1981

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HK NOW A TB RESEARCH CENTRE

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HONG KONG HAS SUCCESSFULLY CONTROLLED TUBERCULOSIS SINCE THE 1950'S, AS SHOWN BY THE 60 PER CENT DROP IN NOTIFICATIONS AND 90 PER CENT DROP IN THE DEATH RATE, SAID THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DF K.L. THONG, TODAY (SUNDAY), AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SEVENTH ASIA PACIFIC CONGRÈSS ON CHEST DISEASES.

HONG KONG HAD SINCE BECOME ONE OF THE MAIN AREAS FOR TUBERCULOSIS RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF GREAT BRITAIN AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, HE SAID.

THE PERCENTAGE OF BABIES VACCINATED AT BIRTH WITH BCG WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD.

+WE ARE IN THE FOREFRONT IN SHORT COURSE CHEMOTHERAPY, BOTH IN RESEARCH AND ITS APPLICATION IN PRACTICE,+ SAID DR THONG.

IN ADDITION, TOGETHER WITH THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL AND THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CHEST PHYSICIANS, HONG KONG HAS BEEN WORKING ON IMMUNOLOGY OF TUBERCULOSIS.

DR THONG REVEALED THAT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, DEATH FROM LUNG CANCER HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED, DUE TO SMOKING, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE WORK INVOLVED.

MANY OF THE CASES COULD BE PREVENTED AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD RECENTLY TAKEN POSITIVE ACTION WITH REGARD TO SILICOSIS AND ABESTOS IS, HE SAID.

WORKERS SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASES WOULD BE GIVEN EITHER EX-GRATIA PAYMENTS CR COMPENSATION FROM A PNEUMOCONTOS IS COMPENSATION FUND, HE SAID.

+ IN HONG KONG MORE THAN HALF OF SILICOSIS CASES DEVELOP ACTIVE PULMONARY TB, AND RESEARCH IS BEING CONDUCTED TO FIND OUT CHEMO-PROPHYLAXIS AND THE BEST WAY OF TREATING SILICO-TB, HE ADDED.

HEART DISEASE WAS SECOND ONLY TO MALIGNANCY IN THE TOP TEN CAUSES OF DEATH IN HONG KONG.

DISEASES OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, INCLUDING HYPERTENS FON AND CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES AND THEIR COMPLICATIONS, CAUSED ABOUT A QUARTER OF ALL DEATHS.

+EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES HAVE REVEALED AN INCREASING PREVALENCE OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

GRANTHAM HOSPITAL AS BEING UPGRADED INTO A MAJOR CARDIO- THORACIC CENTRE IN RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR AND THORACIC DISEASES IN THE TERRITORY, HE ADDED.

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