X1000306-1977-78a_Part01 — Page 5

M

I.

ADMINISTRATION

(Tables 1

The Medical and Health Department is responsible for administering services which provide medical and health care for the community of Hong Kong. To provide a good quality service, a staff establishment of 15,945 of which 936 were medical staff of all grades and 6,006 were nursing staff was needed in 1977.

The Department's expenditure for the financial year was $763 million which represented 8.5% of the total public expenditure of Hong Kong.

There are six statutory councils and boards to deal with the registration of doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives and to handle matters relating to pharmacy and poisons and radiation.

The regionalization of medical and health services was implemented in April 1977. The main objective is to put into the most effective use of the facilities and resources available in each region and to provide a high standard service. The objective has largely been achieved.

General

II.

VITAL STATISTICS

(Tables 7 - 201

The estimated mid-year population of Hong Kong in 1977 was 4.51 million, an increase of 1.6% compared with the previous year. About 29% were under 15, and 5.7% were aged 65 years and over. The general state of health was favourable and reflected the rapid development of medical and health services.

Birth Rate

The crude birth rate was 17.5 per thousand population, as compared with 17.2 for 1976.

Infant Mortality Rate

The infant mortality rate was 13.9 per thousand live births and is now at a level lower than many European and American countries. This decline was due partly to the development of maternal and child health services and partly to the improvement in social and environmental conditions. The major causes of infant deaths were congenital anomalies, prematurity, asphyxia and pneumonis,

16 years.

Figure 1 shows the infant and neo-natal mortality rates for the past