Traffic Accidents.
Social Hygiene.
Ophthal- mic Service.
The General Health Service.
Health Education Unit.
12.9 The Commissioner of Labour also proposes to extend progressively the range of industrial safety legislation and to bring forward a programme to educate the public, employers and em- ployees in the need for safety precautions in industry.
12.10 In similar vein increased emphasis will be placed on the prevention of traffic accidents to reduce the casualty rate.
12.11 With the incidence of venereal diseases showing little fluctuation in the past 10 years, additional facilities beyond normal expansion are unlikely to be required.
12.12 The decline in leprosy has led to the gradual closure of the Hay Ling Chau establishment. On the completion of the in- fectious diseases block in the Princess Margaret Hospital, all remaining cases requiring in-patient treatment will be accom- modated there. Emphasis will then be shifted to out-patient follow- up and the rehabilitation of ex-patients.
12.13 The services provided under this head include (a) regular sessions at the three eye clinics, (b) part-time sessions at out-patient clinics, (c) surgical services at hospitals and (d) specialist clinics. Prevention of eye diseases is an important aspect of the service. The work performed by health visitors, carrying out home visits, is especially important in view of the present inadequacy of out-patient facilities. New out-patient facili- ties will, however, be incorporated in some of the new or reprovi- sioned clinics now proposed.
12.14 This work, which includes field investigation into the major communicable diseases, the co-ordination of activities of teams of inoculators participating in immunization drives, school health, health education, environmental and food hygiene, is carried out by health officers assisted by health visitors and other health staff. Within the new regional approach, health work will become part of the activities within a region and this will help to ensure better co-ordination of activities.
12.15 There is, however, a clear need to co-ordinate the whole range of preventive health activities and to centralize the resources available in the various branches of the Medical and Health Department so that maximum use of these can be made and
32
a greater coverage of health education activities reaching in- dividuals, families and the community groups can be achieved.
12.16 To this end the establishment of a central Health Education Unit within the Medical and Health Department is recommended. This Unit would be responsible for formulat- ing health education programmes and directing, organizing and co-ordinating health education activities in the various services of the Department.
12.17 The MDAC pointed out that, if by means of community Community
Nursing. nursing, a degree of medical care could be provided at home it would be possible to discharge some patients from hospital earlier. The effect on hospital bed requirements could be signifi- cant. Owing to the present and likely future staff position, it appears improbable that the Government would be able to under- take such a service within the foreseeable future but the possi- bility of introducing it will be kept under review.
12.18 The Medical and Health Department has assumed the Treatment
of Drug leading role in the treatment of drug addiction. It is currently carry- Addicts. ing out a 3-year trial scheme with the use of methadone in the treatment of drug addiction. When this trial is completed at the end of 1975 it will be possible to decide whether this method could offer a mass cure for addicts.
CHAPTER 13
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
13.1 The implementation of the proposals described in this White Paper will involve major capital expenditure and, on com- pletion of the various projects, heavy additional recurrent cost. Clearly it is possible to do no more than estimate the total ex- penditure tentatively at this stage. However, it is calculated that the capital expenditure, which includes construction, furniture, equipment and related quarters, for those medical and health development items which are already in the Public Works Pro- gramme, and for the additional items proposed in this White Paper, would be about $914 m. at mid-1974 prices.
33
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.