X1000306-1988-89_Part01 — Page 7

In the year 1988, 178 silicotic and 3 asbestoes patients were assessed at the Pneumoconiosis Clinic, and 198 were compensated.

Family Health-Services

The Family Health Services of the Medical & Health Department operates 45 Maternal and Child Health Centres, providing a comprehensive health programme for women of child-bearing age and children up to five years old,

Ante-natal and post-natal medical consultation as well as family planning service are offered to women. Immunization programes are carried out against tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and rubella. During 1988, about 95% of newborn babies attended the Maternal & Child Health Centres.

Under the comprehensive observation scheme, children are assessed at different ages to detect early developmental abnormalities, If necessary, they are referred for specialist care or the child assessment service for further examination.

Health education is an essential component in the Family Health Services. In addition to health talks and counselling on child care offered at centres, health education for expectant mothers are also extended to Government hospitala, with particular emphasis on the promotion of breastfeeding. A telephone service is available to answer enquiries from the public.

Child-Assessment-Service

The Arran Street and Panela Youde Child Assessment Centres serve children from birth to 12 years old. They provide comprehensive physical, psychological and social assessment as well as therapy, parental counselling and referral for appropriate placement of the child in the various institutions and centres run by the Government and voluntary agencies. These include the nurserica and special child care centre subvented by the Social Welfare Department and the special schools run by the Education Department.

Increasing number of pre-school children are referred to the

Centres. A very common problem is that of speech delay, most of which have to be dealt with by a team consisting of developmental paediatrician, clinical psychologist and speech therapist.

The Centres also operate a Toy Library, which aim to enhance the development of children through toys and play. The emphasis is on parental involvement and guidance on the selection of suitable toys for play with their handicapped children.

recorded.

In 1988, 998 cases were assessed and 10 153 case sessions were

Five more centres have been planned for the next decade.

Social-Hygiene-and-Special-Skin-Services

Sexually-Transmitted-Disease-Services

Social hygiene clinics provide free medical consultation, advice

and investigation for patients suffering from sexually transmitted diseases, There are a total of eight full-time and five part-time clinics.

The number of new patients seen in 1988 was 25 606 compared with 35 006 in 1987. The number of total attendance was 153 851 compared with 177 327 in 1987.

The sex

14 820 new cases of sexually transmitted diseases were diagnosed in 1988 compared with 14 213 cases in 1987, an increase of 4.3%. distribution was 72% male and 25% 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 254 (1.71%) in 1988.

A total of 4 919 gonorrhoea cases were reported in 1988 showing an decrease of 18.5% from the 1987 figure. It remains the commonest sexually transmitted disease (33%). The percentage of penicillinase producing neisseria gonorrhoea (PPNG) strains detected in Hong Kong was 33.8% in 1988.

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The other common sexually transmitted diseases were non gonococcal urethritis (NGV) and non-specific genital infection (NSGI) (33%), genital warts (16%), and syphilis (38). The incidence of other sexually transmitted diseases e.g. chancroid (13), herpes genitalis (6%), scabies (1%), pediculosis pubis (3%) and lymphogranulona venereum (0.2%) remained low.

Ante-natal serological screening tests carried out in all Governmental and non-Governmental antenatal centres indicated an initial VDRL positive rate of 0.24% compared with 0.45% in the previous year. Of 185 positive cases referred to the social hygiene clinics, only 43 cases, (23.2%) were actually suffering from syphilis. No incidence of congenital syphilis was reported in the year.

The health staff were involved in epidemiological and preventive activities such as contact tracing and follow-up of defaulters and those at risk of frequent exposure. Health education in social hygiene was also emphasized through frequent health talks and the issuing of pamphlets and posters to the public.

Leprosy Service

There has been a gradual fall in the incidence of leprosy during the past three decades. The number of new attendance for 1988 was 117, the number of new cases detected was 22 representing a rate of 0.39 per 100 000 of the population.

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