IV Health Services
Tuberculosis and Chest Services
The Hong Kong Tuberculosis and Chest Services continue to provide care to the public who have respiratory problems requiring investigations, hospital management, clinic care and treatment. Special efforts have been spent in the prevention and control of tuberculosis, including case finding, diagnosis, treatment and BCG vaccination.
Tuberculosis remains an important disease in Hong Kong. In spite of continuing efforts and dynamic programmes in the fight against the disease, the total number of notifications remained high at 7 545 in 1985,
The representing a notification rate of 139.1 per 100 000 population. factors which accounted for the high level in notifications are an increased awareness of the disease by the public and an increased response to the case Einding measures. A further important factor is the influx of population from other parts of the region where the incidence of the disease is higher.
Death from tuberculosis, however, continued to fall from 420 in 1984 to 409 in 1985 and the death rate from 7.8 to 7.5 per 100 000 population and representing about 1.6% of the total registered deaths in the year. Attendances at Government chest clinics were 763 420 compared with 766 263 in 1984. BCG vaccination remains a recommended programme and covers nearly all the newborns.
During 1985, 99 178 patients attended the Government chest clinics of which 54 505 were new patients and diagnosed to be suffering from some kinds of chest diseases, namely pulmonary tuberculosis (9.8%). acute bronchitis (3.68), bronchitis not specified as acute or chronie (6.6%), chronic bronchitis (0.6%), pneumonia (3.3%), bronchiectasis (1.4%) malignant neoplasm of trachea and bronchus (1.3%), asthma (0.3%) and emphysema (0.3%).
In the year 1985, 182 silicotic patients were assessed at the Pneumoconiosis Clinic, and 184 were compensated.
Family Health Services
The Family Health Services of the Medical & Health Department operates 44 Maternal and Child Health Centres, providing a comprehensive health programme for women of child-bearing age and children up to five years old.
Family planning is an important component of the Family Health Services. Ante-natal and post-natal health consultation sessions are conducted for mothers. Immunization programmes are carried out against tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and rubella. During 1985, about 92% of newborn babies attended the Family Health Centres.
The comprehensive observation scheme was introduced in 1978 to detect and assess early developmental abnormalities and where necessary to provide follow-up treatment. The service is now available at 44 Family Health Centres. Children attending these centres may, if and when appropriate, be referred to child assessment centres or various specialist units for further examination. The system enables rehabilitation processes to start as early as possible.
Health education is extended to expectant mothers at major government hospitals, with particular emphasis placed on the promotion of breastfeeding. A telephone service is available to answer enquiries from the public.
The Government-subvented Pamily Planning Association of Hong Kong runs 30 birth control clinics.
It provides services in such areas as premarital counselling, contraception, sterilisation, vasectomy, and sub- fertility.
During the year, the association also placed emphasis on health education promotional work involving family planning and sex education.
Arran Street Multi-disciplinary Child Assessment Centre
The centre serves children from birth to 12 years old. It provides comprehensive physical, psychological and social assessment as well as therapy, parental counselling and appropriate placement of the child in the various institutions and centres run by the Government and voluntary agencies. These include the Special Child Care Centre of the Social Welfare Department and the Special Education Service Centres of the Education Department.
Increasing number of children of pre-school age group were referred to the clinic. A very common problem in these children was that of speech delay. Most of these required to be dealt with by a team approach involving the developmental paediatricians, clinical psychologists and speech therapists.
The centre also operates a Toy Library Programme, which aims to enhance the development of children through toys and play. The emphasis is
to involve parents and give guidance on the selection of suitable toys for their handicapped children.
In 1985, 904 cases were assessed and 5 914 case sessions were recorded.
An expansion programme to set up seven more such child assessment centres is in hand.
Social Hygiene and Special Skin Services
Sexually Transmitted Disease Services
The Yung Fung Shee Social Hygiene Clinic was opened on 5.11.1984 making a total of seven full-time and six part-time Social Hygiene Clinics in the region. The number of new patients seen was 35 288 compared with 33 548 in 1984. The number of total attendance was 184 534 compared with 176 024 in 1984.
11 657 new cases of sexually transmitted diseases were diagnosed in 1985 compared with 10 353 cases in 1984, an increase of 12.6%. The sex distribution was 738 male and 27% female. The majority of patients were in
the 20-40 age group. The number of patients under the age of 16 years old remained low at 81 (0.69%) in 1985.
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