X1000306-1960-61_Part01 — Page 23

Medical and Health Departmental Reports 醫務衛生署年報 All

132. Subsidized patients, on discharge, attend the Government Chest Clinics for further treatment but full follow-up facilities are available in such clinics to the medical staff of the Hospital. Medical social work for all subsidized patients is carried out by the Almoners of the Government Tuberculosis Service.

The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals

133. This Group of Chinese Charitable Hospitals maintains 326 beds for the treatment of tuberculosis patients. In addition, approximately one-third of all births in the Colony occur in the matemity wards of these hospitals, and hence they play a most important part in the B.C.G. vaccination campaign amongst the new-born. During 1960, 86.1% of all babies born in the three hospitals received such protection.

The Haven of Hope Sanatoriumu

134. This hospital, situated in the New Territories, is governed by the Junk Bay Medical Relief Council, and is supported mainly by a group of Protestant Missions. Government gives an annual subvention for the maintenance of 60 beds. An out-patient service for tuberculosis patients is maintained by the Sanatorium in the adjacent Rennie's Mill settlement and during the year a tuberculosis survey of the inhabitants of that area was conducted.

Sandy Bay Convalescent Honte

135. This institution is maintained by the Society for the Relief of Disabled Children and is staffed in part by the Hong Kong Branch of the British Red Cross Society. It provides convalescent care for children suffering from orthopaedic conditions, many of which are due to tuberculosis.

136. During World Refugee Year, the work of this institution aroused great interest in many countries and a number of donations have been received both of equipment and of money from most parts of the globe. Plans are now in hand to build a new wing containing another 50 beds.

Rehabilitation Projects

137. Although the need for rehabilitation of tuberculosis patients has been considerably modified in Hong Kong by the wide use of ambulatory chemotherapy, there is still a steady flow of cases which require some assistance, both physical and mental, in their adjustment to the circum- stances arising as a result of the infection. A large amount of this work

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is carried out as part of the normal routine of the Almoners' section with a special emphasis on re-employment. It is encouraging to note that the situation with regard to re-employment has somewhat improved in comparison with previous years.

138. During the year, the Lutheran World Service started a Tuber- culosis Rehabilitation Project and is working closely with all agencies involved in the treatment of tuberculosis, including the Government Tuberculosis Service. As yet, the numbers assisted have been small but results are promising and it is expected that the scope of the scheme will expand significantly during the next few years.

MALARIA BUREAU

139. The Malaria Bureau, under the direction of the Government Malariologist, is responsible for all malaria control operations through- out Hong Kong and, in certain instances, it also undertakes the control of breeding of culicine mosquitoes. Lectures are given on malaria and allied subjects to various groups of health personnel under training and expert advice is offered to the Armed Services, to the Pest Control Unit of the Urban Services Department, to Hei Ling Chau Leprosarium and to Her Majesty's Prisons in the New Territories.

Control Operations

140. The important malaria vectors are A. minimus and A. jepe poriensis var. candidiensis, while A. maculatus and A. hyrcanus have also been proved to be potential carriers.

141. The greal majority of the population of Hong Kong are pro- tected from the risk of malaria infection, for the whole of the urban area comprising Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon is covered by anti-larval measures. These measures consist of rough train- ing of streams, ditching and larviciding: the latter is effected by the use of anti-malarial oil except on agricultural lands where Gammexane dispersible powder is used instead. In addition, certain relatively small centres of population in the New Territories, such as Rennie's Mill Camp, the township on Cheung Chau Island and the island of Hei Ling Chau are also protected zones.

142. Results of the malaria control work in the urban areas continue to be most satisfactory and the incidence of natural malaria transmission has been reduced virtually to zero. However, vector mosquitoes abound just outside the boundaries of the protected areas and hence there is no room for complacency or relaxation of control measures.

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