XN000022-1983-05-29 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1983

LAST YEAR, THE RATE WAS 16.4 PER 1 000, COMPARED WITH 19.2 IN 1972 AND 33.9 IN 1962.

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST POPULATION CENSUS CONDUCTED IN 1981 THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE HAD DECREASED FROM 4.5 MEMBERS IN 1971 TO 3.9 BY 1981.

+IN FACT, OUR WORK IN FAMILY PLANNING COMPARES VERY WELL WITH THAT BEING DONE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. OUR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY QUALIFIED NURSES AND MEDICAL OFFICERS AND THE STATISTICS REFLECT OUR ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGH SERVICE STANDARDS,+ DR EO-YANG SAID.

LAST YEAR, OVER 92 PER CENT OF NEWBORN BABIES ATTENDED THE MCH CENTRES, COMPARED WITH ONLY 24 PER CENT IN 1960, WHILE SOME 370 000 ATTENDANCES WERE RECORDED AT THE FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS,

+FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE WORKING MOTHERS, THREE OF OUR FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS HAVE EXTENDED THE IR WORK HOURS BY STAYING OPEN AT LUNCH TIME SINCE MARCH THIS YEAR.

+AND PLANS ARE IN HAND TO SET UP EIGHT MORE SUCH CLINICS IN THE 1980'S, DR EO-YANG SAID.

+PEOPLE CALLING ON A FAMILY PLANNING CLINIC OR AN MCH CENTRE USUALLY ASK NOT ONLY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE BUT ALSO FOR COUNSELLING ON FAMILY PLANNING AND RELATED QUESTIONS, SHE SAID.

AMONG THE ISSUES REGULARLY DEALT WITH BY SUCH CLINICS AND CENTRES ARE THE SPACING OF CHILD BIRTHS, MARITAL CONSULTATIONS AND VARIOUS METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL.

DR EO-YANG SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE DELICACY OF CERTAIN PROBLEMS, MANY OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AT THE MCH CENTRES HAD BEEN SPECIALLY TRAINED FOR THE JOB.

+THEY ARE MULTI-PURPOSE NURSES WHO HAVE COMPLETED FIVE YEARS TRAINING, MADE UP OF THREE YEARS IN GENERAL NURSING, ONE YEAR MIDWIFERY AND ANOTHER YEAR IN PUBLIC HEALTH, SHE SAID.

THIS EXTENSIVE TRAINING ALSO COVERS INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELLING TECHNIQUES, PUBLIC LECTURES AND FINESSE IN HANDLING DELICATE PROBLEMS, AMONG OTHER SKILLS.

DR EO-YANG ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION, A VOLUNTARY AGENCY AND A PIONEER IN PROVIDING FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES.

GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION FOR THE ASSOCIATION INCREASED STEADILY, FROM $110 000 IN 1958 TO MORE THAN $3.5 MILLION LAST YEAR.

NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT-OPERATED FAMILY PLANNING CLINICS HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR A DECADE, THE ASSOCIATION IS PLACING ITS EMPHASIS ON SUCH OTHER AREAS AS EDUCATION, RESERACH, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS.