SECTION 3: SOCIAL SERVICES
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EDUCATION
3.1
Approximately 16% of total Government expenditure is on education
(an estimated HK$3,239 million in 1981/82). The Government provides
nine years compulsory free education for all. There are two universities
with a total undergraduate enrolment for the 1980-81 session of over
9,000 students and a postgraduate enrolment of about 2,300. The Hong
Kong Polytechnic provides higher education in mainly technical and
commercial subjects, on which about 7,200 full-time and over 18,000
part-time students registered for the 1980/81 session.
3.2 There are around 1,700 Hong Kong students on first-degree courses
in Britain. The Hong Kong Government have instituted a loan scheme
to assist those in difficulties on account of the abolition of British
subsidy for overseas students fees.
MEDICAL SERVICES
3.3. There are four hospital regions in Hong Kong, each of which is
served by a regional hospital, one or more district hospitals and a
number of general and specialist clinics. There are 4.1 hospital beds
available per 1,000 population, and in clinics 5 consulting rooms per
100,000 of the population. Health charges are minimal: HK$3 per visit
to an out-patient clinic and HK$5 per day in hospitals. These charges
are waived for children and other special categories, and in cases of
hardship.
3.4 There is a comprehensive public health programme to control
tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, malaria and other controllable diseases.
Infant mortality, at 11.2 per 1,000 live births in 1981 is lower than in many developed countries. The birth rate, at 1.69 in 1981, means that
the natural rate of increase of the population is about 1%.
3.5 Drug abuse is a serious and long-standing problem in Hong Kong.
There are believed to be some 50,000 addicts in Hong Kong, about 95%
on heroin, the remainder mostly on opium. The Action Committee Against
Narcotics coordinates the work of the various Government and voluntary
agencies, at a variety of drug addiction, detoxification and after-care
treatment centres. Some success has been achieved, notably in reducing
the number of young people taking to drugs, and in law enforcement
action which has severely curtailed the supply of illicit drugs. The
/Hong
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