X1000306-1964-65_Part01 — Page 7

5. The marked improvement in the state of public health in Hong Kong during recent years is reflected by gratifying declines in infant, neo-natal and maternal mortality; changes in the former two rates are illustrated in Figure 1.

RATE PER 1,000 LIVE BIRTHS

100

$0

40

FIGURE I

INFANT AND NEO-NATAL MORTALITY 1990-64

NEO-NATAL

INFANT

Maternal Morrality

7. Here also the statistics pertaining to Hong Kong are now approaching the standards prevailing in the advanced countries of the world. During recent years there have been continuing reductions in deaths from toxaemia, haemorrhage and puerperal sepsis, although mortality from abortions and ectopic pregnancies has remained com- paratively unaffected.

General Mortality

8. The marked social and economic changes which have occurred in Hong Kong during the years following the Second World War are reflected in the mortality trends shown in Figure 2. Improvements in

PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BRATHS

0

20

10

FIGURE 1

MAIOR TRENDS IN MORTALITY 1930-64

"

INFECTIOUS

***** NEOPLASTIC

195 NERVOUS SYSTEM

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

* RESPIRATORY

**NA INTESTINAL

1950

$2 53 54 $5 36

#7

YEAR

雄

39

60

61

42 6J

64

Infant Mortality

6. The marked decline in infantile mortality has been due to rapidly- improved control of the preventable diseases of later infancy, partic- ularly of broncho-pneumonia, gastro-enteritis and tuberculosis; in ad- dition, improvements in the midwifery and maternal health services are gradually reducing the dangers of prematurity. As has been the experi- ence in other countries, congenital malformations and other diseases of the new-born are proving more intractable and mortality from these causes bas, as yet, been unaffected,

1950 $1 $3 51

54

55

Jo 打

YEAR

tr

60

61 62 63 64

the general level of public health are demonstrated by the decline in mortality from infectious, respiratory and intestinal diseases, while the ageing of a relatively young immigrant population is reflected by the increasing mortality from neoplastic, neurological and circulatory diseases.