XN000022-1983-05-29 — Page 2

SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1983

FAMILY PLANNING GAINING WIDER ACCEPTANCE

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FAMILY PLANNING IS MORE THAN JUST TEACHING PEOPLE METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL, SAID DR BETTY EO-YANG, PRINCIPAL MEDICAL AND HEALTH OFFICER (FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES).

SHE STRESSED THAT IMPROVEMENT IN FAMILY HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN THAT OF THE MOTHERS AND THE CHILDREN, WAS A PREREQUISITE.

PARENTS WOULD ACCEPT FAMILY PLANNING MORE READILY WHEN FOETAL AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES WERE REDUCED, SHE SAID.

IN THIS FIELD, HONG KONG HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAS MODIFIED THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE THINKING OF HAVING A LARGE FAMILY.

+OUR INFANT MORTALITY RATE LAST YEAR WAS 9.9 PER 1 000 BABIES JORN, THE LOWEST IN THE FAR EAST WHILE THE MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE AT 0.01 PER 1 000 WAS THE SECOND LOWEST IN THE REGION, SHE POINTED OUT.

HONG KONG'S EXTENSIVE HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AS WELL AS ANTE-NATAL AND POST-NATAL HEALTH SERVICES BEING PROVIDED BY HOSPITALS AND VARIOUS MATERNITY AND CHILD HEALTH (MCH) CENTRES WERE AMONG THE BEST IN THE WORLD, DR EO-YANG SAID.

THESE SERVICES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT HONG KONG'S 45 GOVERNMENT FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS THOUGH THE IR MAIN SERVICE IS TO PROVIDE COUNSELLING ON BIRTH CONTROL. THREE OF THEM ARE ATTACHED TO THE TSAN YUK, QUEEN ELIZABETH AND PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITALS AND THE REST ARE OPERATED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S MCH CENTRES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

DR EO-YANG DESCRIBED THE FAMILY PLANNING SERVICE AND THE MCH CENTRES AS A +PACKAGE DEAL+.

+THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP AS THEY ARE BOTH CONCERNED WITH THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL QUALITY OF FAMILY LIFE, SHE EXPLAINED,

THROUGH FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES, MORE PARENTS NOWADAYS ARE ALSO MADE TO REALISE THAT A SMALL FAMILY OFTEN MEANS BETTER EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHILDREN.

*WITH OUR GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING, EVEN FISHERMEN WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED CHILDREN AS SO MANY ADDITIONAL FREE HELPING HANDS, ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A SMALL FAMILY, DR EO-YANG POINTED OUT.

THE GROWING MECHANISATION OF HONG KONG'S FISHING FLEET ALSO HELPED.

OVERALL. THE FAMILY PLANNING MESSAGES HAD TAKEN HOLD IN HONG KONG, AS INDICATED BY THE STEADILY DECLINING BIRTH RATE, SHE SAID.

LAST YEAR,