XN000022-1985-01-20 — Page 12

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 1985

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CLOSELY LINKED TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD HYGIENE ARE THE ANNUAL ANTI-RAT AND ANTI-MOSQUITO PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS ORGANISED BY THE HEALTH EDUCATION SECTION. THE SECTION ALSO PLAYS A VITAL SUPPORTING ROLE IN THE RECURRENT ANTI-LITTER DRIVES AND THE CLEAN HOUSE AND CLEAN BEACH CAMPAIGNS WHICH ARE PART OF THE OVERALL CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN.

ASKED ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY HIS SECTION, MR TAM SAID: +HEALTH EDUCATION IS A LONG-TERM PROCESS AND ITS RESULTS, ALTHOUGH MOST IMPORTANT, MAY NOT EVER BE QUANTIFIABLE OR EVIDENT UNTIL YEARS LATER.

+THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR WORK IS SEEN IN THE MUCH BETTER OVERALL SANITARY CONDITION OF OUR GENERAL

BUT SURROUNDINGS AND THE IMPROVED HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE. MORE SCIENTIFICALLY ACCEPTABLE INDICATORS ARE THE LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY AND LOWER INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES.+

LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HONG KONG HAS STEADILY INCREASED FROM 63.6 YEARS AND 70.5 YEARS FOR MEN AND WOMEN RESPECTIVELY IN 1961, TO 68.0 AND 75.6 IN 1971 AND 72.4 AND 78.1 IN 1981.

IN THE SAME PERIOD. THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE HAS DECLINED FROM 21 PER 1 000 LIVE BIRTHS IN 1961, TO 12.6 IN 1971 AND 6.6 IN 1981,

SAYS DR R.A. PERRY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (HYGIENE) OF THE CITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT: +THIS IMPROVEMENT, NO DOUBT, IS ATTRIBUTABLE IN PART TO THE BETTER MEDICAL FACILITIES AND NUTRITION AVAILABLE TO THE PEOPLE.

+BUT IT IS STILL THROUGH PROPER HEALTH EDUCATION THAT THE PUBLIC ARE MADE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, OF SEEKING EARLY MEDICAL TREATMENT WHEN NECESSARY, EATING THE RIGHT FOOD AND MAINTAINING PERSONAL AND DOMESTIC HYGIENE.+

DR PERRY EXPLAINS THAT GIVING TALKS AND SEMINARS, WHILE EFFECTIVE, IS VERY LABOUR INTENSIVE AND CAN COVER ONLY A LIMITED TARGET GROUP., MASS COMMUNICATION, THROUGH THE MODERN MEDIA, MUST ALSO BE USED.

+OUR MESSAGES ARE NOW BEING PUT OUT REGULARLY ON RADIO AND TELEVISION, IN THE PRESS AND THROUGH THE THREE BROADCASTING VANS THAT WE OPERATE. THE MESSAGES ARE REPEATED AT SUITABLE INTERVALS DURING OUR ANNUAL PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS.

+WE EVEN MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS TO REACH SOME MINORITY GROUPS SUCH AS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, RECENT CHINESE IMMIGRANTS, FILIPINA MAIDS AND THE ELDERLY.

+AND IF ANYONE IS STILL LEFT OUT, WE ARE ON CALL (TEL: 5-729361) TO PROVIDE TALKS WHICH CAN BE GEARED TO CLIENTS' SPECIAL NEEDS,+ DR PERRY ADDED.

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