X1000306-1967-68_Part01 — Page 14

197

CASES

TOTAL

¥2000.

ob-

00:00

#000

4000-

199

FIGURE 10

GONORRHOEA 1958 - 1967

#1

TEAR

*

INCIDENCE RATE

CASES

INCIDENCE RATE PER 100000 POPULATION AGED 16 3 OVER

容

R&

44. Case finding continued at a high level, particularly in ante-natal cases where an initial positive serology rate of 1.8% was observed, which, after further investigations, showed that 1.3% of the ante-natal cases were suffering from syphilis. Contact tracing, particularly of infectious syphilis, was continued.

Leprosy

45. New cases of leprosy treated numbered 149, representing a rate of 3.9 per 100,000 of population which is the lowest recorded since 1959. Tuberculoid manifestations predominated, comprising 55% of total cases. Of the infectious cases, 70 were admitted to the Hay Ling Chau Leprosarium maintained by the Leprosy Mission-Hong Kong Auxi- liary, with which the Social Hygiene Service maintains close liaison.

46. During recent years there has been some advance in overcoming the prejudice against employment of cured leprosy patients and, to this end, great attention is paid by the Service towards the prevention of disabilities in tuberculoid cases.

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Dermatology

47. There was a high incidence of urticaria, lichenification, alopecia arcata, and vitiligo. The incidence of skin cancers was very low.

PORT HEALTH

(Spc table 30)

48. The Port Health Administration continued its routine duties in respect of prevention of the introduction of quarantinable infectious diseases, the sanitary control of ports of entry, the provisions of facilities as required by the International Sanitary Regulations and a regular exchange of epidemiological information with the World Health Organization as well as with ports and airports in other countries.

49. With the increasing importance of Hong Kong as a tourist and an international transit centre, the work of the Service has gradually in- creased during the recent years. The increase of shipping entering the port has resulted in an extension of the quarantine service to give a full 24-hour daily cover. This service also pays special attention to travellers from nearby ports of Macao and Kwangtung province and to vessels from plague infected regions.

DISTRICT MIDWIFERY SERVICE

(See table 31)

50. Approximately 99% of births took place in institutions, either hospitals or maternity homes. Of these 20% were in maternity centres attached to Government clinics and 28% were attended by midwives in private practice, while the remainder took place in Government, Government-subsidized and private hospitals.

51. Owing to the difficulties of domiciliary delivery under existing housing conditions, it has been the Department's policy to provide maternity beds in Health Centres. The maternity home in Sha Tau Kok Clinic was temporarily suspended since June 1967. The registered maternity cases were transferred to Shek Wu Hui Jockey Club Clinic for delivery. The Lions Club Maternity Home in Kowloon City with 20 beds was opened in October 1967, while the Castle Peak Clinic with 26 beds was opened in January 1968, the latter replacing the former San Hui Dispensary with 8 beds. Thus 38 additional maternity beds were added to the service.

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