is ground for some satisfaction with the present trend of tuber- culosis mortality, Excluding the immediate post war years when statistics could not be regarded as reliable, the mortality rate for 1956 was the lowest on record.
published by the World Health Organization based on results of tuberculin tests. Information on the actual tuberculosis morbidity is scanty and cannot be regarded as reliable. The notifications of tuberculosis made during the year were:
Table 5
Year
Estiramled Population
Dantb-take per 100,000
total death
Tuberculosis
Percentage of 1% tuberculosla
deuths below
5 greaure
1948 en gan
1.800.UMM
108.9
14.6
1949
1,857,000
140.6
16.0
74.8
1950
1,265,000
144.0
17.1
18.3
1951
2,013,000
1952
7.250.CHNI
|
208.0
20.0
34.0
156.8
18.4
34.3
1953
130.6
16.01
34.2
1954
2.377.DUU
1#6.3
14.9
31.1
1455
2,340,000
130.0
14.7
1956
JOYEU
2,440,000
112.0
13.4
25.0
61. The actual number of deaths from respiratory tuber- culosis in adults has remained substantially unchanged over the past few years showing a 3:1 male preponderance and maximum deaths in the 35 - 54 age groups. In children below the age of 6 years, where deaths show equal sex distribution, the actual deaths in the past 3 years were 293, 159 and 139 respectively, despite a steady increase in the number of births.
62.
Deaths from Tubercular meningitis, though still account- ing for more than 20% of the total tuberculosis deaths, were lower than in any year since 1948. Deaths from forms of tuberculosis other than respiratory and meningeal are the lowest on record. Deaths from progressive primary and post- primary tuberculosis are therefore falling rapidly. It is against this type of disease that the tuberculosis control programme is specially directed and it is also in this group that modern chemotherapy is most effective.
63. As already stated Hong Kong has the unenviable distinc- tion of having the highest infection rate (76%) at the age of 8 years reported in the world, as was shown in a table recently
20
1956.
1958.
Govertiment Cheat Clinics
9,042
7,704
Other Government institutiona
14:41
1,643
Non-Government Institutions including
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
2.352
2,222
Private 'ractitioners
619
686
14,148
12,166
64. It will be seen that the fall in the autifications of tuber- culosis has been due almost entirely to a fall in the returns made from the Government Chest Clinics. This fall was produced artificially by a necessary deliberate restriction of attenders and is not compensated for by an increase in notifications from other sources, Notifications made by private practitioners remain low and do not truly reflect the degree to which private treatment of tuberculosis is carried out.
65. Of the total tuberculosis notifications 11,326 relate to disease of the lung. The peak prevalence is in the 26 - 29 age group with a 2: 1 male preponderance.
66. It can be said that government policy in relation to certain social welfare services is to act as far as possible through voluntary agencies by providing funds, control being financial rather than administrative, each agency attacking the problem in hand according to its own ideas and facilities. This same policy is applied in the tuberculosis field, the govern- ment taking part directly in the control programme through the Tuberculosis Service of the Medical Department and indirectly through the voluntary agencies.
67. The Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis Association is the only voluntary body in the Colony which devotes its activities ex- clusively to tuberculosis, including among its activities the maintenance of 338 beda for the treatment of pulmonary tuber- culosis, and, to a lesser degree bone and joint tuberculosis, and after-care clinic for patients on discharge, a health education service in tuberculosis and a R.C.G. clinic.
68.
Details of the activities of this body may be seen in their official report which is published annually.
21
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.