During the summer, more Young Health Leader Training Project courses were conducted, training 114 students from 22 secondary schools in health and leadership skills. The programme included lectures, games, slide shows on health-related subjects so that the young health leaders could help to promote health inside their schools.
Other activities for youths included anti-smoking, adolescent health and sex education workshops at the audio-visual centres. Voluntary agencies and schools may also borrow film, video and slides free of charge, for their own health education activities.
In November, the major campaign 'Health for All, All for Health' was launched with an exhibition that attracted a large audience. And in December, the unit was heavily involved in the 'Community AIDS Concern Week'.
Increased community concern for health was shown by the popularity of the various health education programmes offered, such as the 24-hour telephone information service and the slide and video shows at out-patient clinics.
Close liaison was maintained with the media, medical professionals and other Government departments for the smooth implementation of various campaigns and activities. The unit took part in many press interviews and television and radio programmes, including a TV series on health knowledge. Collaboration with medical bodies and various units in the department resulted in the increased production of useful health education materials for the public.
Dental-Service
The School Dental Care Service, introduced since 1980, provides regular dental examinations, simple dental treatment and oral health education to primary school children. The response from parents to this type of preventive dentistry was very good. At the end of the ninth year of operation, the number of participants among primary school children has reached some 373 608. The participation rate has increased to about 69% as compared with 29% in the first year. To enable the scheme to cover eventually all the primary school children, three more school dental clinics have been planned in addition to the existing five in operation.
The Government Dental Service provides dental care for all monthly paid civil servants, pensioners and their dependants as well as simple dental treatment for the inmates of penal institutions and specialist treatment for patients in Government hospitals. Emergency treatment is also provided to the public in a mumber of district dental clinics.
Port-Health-Service
The Port Health Service is the control authority to prevent the introduction of quarantinable diseases into the Territory via air, land, rail or sea and enforce by carrying out measures stipulated under the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance and the International Health Regulations.
The service operates a 24-hour health clearance service for all incoming vessels, including those ferrying refugees, and grants radio pratique to ships. It inspects and supervises the eradication of rats from ships on international voyages, ensures adequate standard of hygiene and sanitation on board vessels or aircraft, provides medical assistance to ships and planes within the Territory, and telecommunicates medical advice to vessels at high seas. It also provides facilities for vaccination, the issuing of international vaccination certificates and handles the issuing of cremation permits.
The health staff maintain close surveillance on the food catering service to international airlines to ensure that food and water supplied by the flight kitchen service is clean and safe.
Epidemiological information is exchanged regularly with the World Health Organisation in Geneva and its Western Pacific Regional Office in Manila and with neighbouring countries.
Radiation-Health-Service
The Radiation Health Unit, working under the direction of the Radiation Board, undertakes regular visits to medical, commercial and industrial promises to inspect the working condition of radiation workers. Radiation licences are issued to the proprietors in accordance with the Radiation Ordinance and Regulations. The unit also assisted in the Background Radiation Monitoring Programme.
School-Hedical-Service
The School Medical Service Scheme is operated by an independent statutory School Medical Service Board. The scheme offers an economic form of medical treatment service to all school children in Primary I to Form III. Participation is voluntary and, for a token fee of $10 a year, a participant can receive free medical attention from a general medical practitioner of the school's choice, The Government contributes $65 a year for each pupil enrolled and also bears the administrative cost of operating the Scheme. The general response to the Scheme is favourable and about 470 general medical practitioners are enlisted in the Scheme.
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