1967 — Page 12

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 12 of 259

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. FORSGATE:-Mr. Chairman, I originally intended to ask a question about this chimney, but I was beaten to the punch so I will put in a supplementary. On Sunday the 19th March, I was hove-to west of Green Island for some four to five hours, and I was able to observe immense clouds of white smoke coming from those chimneys. Do I understand from your reply that white smoke is going to be tolerated in the operation of this incinerator?

CHAIRMAN:-It seems to be likely Sir, that there will be quite a lot of white smoke, but that is innocuous. It consists of carbon dioxide, water vapour and another ingredient which I cannot recall. There is no dust, because this is collected by precipitators in the plant.

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, as a result of that answer, could I ask you is the other ingredient perhaps sulphur dioxide?

CHAIRMAN:-No, it is not sulphur dioxide.

MR. SALES: Sir, on your statement about the colour dynamics of smoke emitting from incinerators, could you clarify the answer you gave earlier on to Dr. BELL about the colour not being dark enough to contravene the particular Ordinance to which you were referring, by the issue of a paper to the Committee of the Whole Council stating what the position actually is?

CHAIRMAN: I shall be pleased to do that.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, the third ingredient which you could not recall is: hot air. (Laughter).

MR. SALES: --May I ask the Director of Public Works whether that hot air was emitting from Official channels of communication? (Laughter).

(2) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:

How many doctors are seconded to the Urban Services Department in the urban area as health officers? What are their duties and can the Chairman confirm that they are fully occupied?

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:

There are at present seven doctors seconded in this way for work in the urban areas of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon in addition to the Assistant Director (Hygiene) at Urban Services Department headquarters.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

5 of the 7 are experienced health officers who hold a Diploma of Public Health, and 2 are newly appointed officers under training. This is out of approximately 500 doctors now employed in the Medical and Health Department.

As regards the duties of health officers these are extremely varied and extensive, and cannot be listed in individual detail.

In general, Health Officers investigate, advise and take action on all public health matters affecting their district; these include the many problems which arise concerning those health aspects of environmental hygiene, food hygiene, sanitary nuisances, etc. which cannot be dealt with routinely.

Epidemiology is also a most important part of their work- involving the investigation and control of cases and contacts of infectious diseases, and the planning and execution of preventive health measures, including immunization campaigns.

There is therefore now one health officer to about every 400,000 persons in the urban area, and I can assure members that they are more than fully occupied.

DR. BELL:-May I ask the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services how does the Medical Department divide its districts? You said that there are 7 experienced Health Officers and they work in various districts. Have they got a different district division from, say, the Census Division and what this Council uses as ward divisions?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:—Yes, they have. There are three in Hong Kong and four in Kowloon. They have to split up the Island into three areas and Kowloon and New Kowloon into four areas.

DR. BELL: What is the proportion of Health Officers to the number of population in other parts of the world?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-This is extremely variable, Mr. Chairman. In England and Wales there are about 2,500 doctors engaged in public health work all the time, which is about 1 per 20,000 of population, but they perform other duties which our Health Officers do not, in child health and other spheres. There is no standard ratio. It depends on the size of the territory, how spread out it is and so on. Hong Kong is fortunate in being packed and one can cover more ground so to speak with fewer people. In the New Territories which has roughly half a million population, we have 5 Health Officers, that is 1 per 100,000.

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Page 12 of 259 6 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. FORSGATE:-Mr. Chairman, I originally intended to ask a question about this chimney, but I was beaten to the punch so I will put in a supplementary. On Sunday the 19th March, I was hove-to west of Green Island for some four to five hours, and I was able to observe immense clouds of white smoke coming from those chimneys. Do I understand from your reply that white smoke is going to be tolerated in the operation of this incinerator? CHAIRMAN:-It seems to be likely Sir, that there will be quite a lot of white smoke, but that is innocuous. It consists of carbon dioxide, water vapour and another ingredient which I cannot recall. There is no dust, because this is collected by precipitators in the plant. DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, as a result of that answer, could I ask you is the other ingredient perhaps sulphur dioxide? CHAIRMAN:-No, it is not sulphur dioxide. MR. SALES: Sir, on your statement about the colour dynamics of smoke emitting from incinerators, could you clarify the answer you gave earlier on to Dr. BELL about the colour not being dark enough to contravene the particular Ordinance to which you were referring, by the issue of a paper to the Committee of the Whole Council stating what the position actually is? CHAIRMAN: I shall be pleased to do that. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, the third ingredient which you could not recall is: hot air. (Laughter). MR. SALES: --May I ask the Director of Public Works whether that hot air was emitting from Official channels of communication? (Laughter). (2) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question: How many doctors are seconded to the Urban Services Department in the urban area as health officers? What are their duties and can the Chairman confirm that they are fully occupied? THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows: There are at present seven doctors seconded in this way for work in the urban areas of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon in addition to the Assistant Director (Hygiene) at Urban Services Department headquarters. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 7 5 of the 7 are experienced health officers who hold a Diploma of Public Health, and 2 are newly appointed officers under training. This is out of approximately 500 doctors now employed in the Medical and Health Department. As regards the duties of health officers these are extremely varied and extensive, and cannot be listed in individual detail. In general, Health Officers investigate, advise and take action on all public health matters affecting their district; these include the many problems which arise concerning those health aspects of environmental hygiene, food hygiene, sanitary nuisances, etc. which cannot be dealt with routinely. Epidemiology is also a most important part of their work- involving the investigation and control of cases and contacts of infectious diseases, and the planning and execution of preventive health measures, including immunization campaigns. There is therefore now one health officer to about every 400,000 persons in the urban area, and I can assure members that they are more than fully occupied. DR. BELL:-May I ask the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services how does the Medical Department divide its districts? You said that there are 7 experienced Health Officers and they work in various districts. Have they got a different district division from, say, the Census Division and what this Council uses as ward divisions? DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:—Yes, they have. There are three in Hong Kong and four in Kowloon. They have to split up the Island into three areas and Kowloon and New Kowloon into four areas. DR. BELL: What is the proportion of Health Officers to the number of population in other parts of the world? DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-This is extremely variable, Mr. Chairman. In England and Wales there are about 2,500 doctors engaged in public health work all the time, which is about 1 per 20,000 of population, but they perform other duties which our Health Officers do not, in child health and other spheres. There is no standard ratio. It depends on the size of the territory, how spread out it is and so on. Hong Kong is fortunate in being packed and one can cover more ground so to speak with fewer people. In the New Territories which has roughly half a million population, we have 5 Health Officers, that is 1 per 100,000. Page 7 of 259 259

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259 Page Page 12 of 259 6 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. FORSGATE:-Mr. Chairman, I originally intended to ask a question about this chimney, but I was beaten to the punch so I will put in a supplementary. On Sunday the 19th March, I was hove-to west of Green Island for some four to five hours, and I was able to observe immense clouds of white smoke coming from those chimneys. Do I understand from your reply that white smoke is going to be tolerated in the operation of this incinerator? CHAIRMAN:-It seems to be likely Sir, that there will be quite a lot of white smoke, but that is innocuous. It consists of carbon dioxide, water vapour and another ingredient which I cannot recall. There is no dust, because this is collected by precipitators in the plant. DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, as a result of that answer, could I ask you is the other ingredient perhaps sulphur dioxide? CHAIRMAN:-No, it is not sulphur dioxide. MR. SALES: Sir, on your statement about the colour dynamics of smoke emitting from incinerators, could you clarify the answer you gave earlier on to Dr. BELL about the colour not being dark enough to contravene the particular Ordinance to which you were referring, by the issue of a paper to the Committee of the Whole Council stating what the position actually is? CHAIRMAN: I shall be pleased to do that. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, the third ingredient which you could not recall is: hot air. (Laughter). MR. SALES: --May I ask the Director of Public Works whether that hot air was emitting from Official channels of communication? (Laughter). (2) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question: How many doctors are seconded to the Urban Services Depart- ment in the urban area as health officers? What are their duties and can the Chairman confirm that they are fully occupied? THE DEPUTY Director of Medical and HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows: There are at present seven doctors seconded in this way for work in the urban areas of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon in addition to the Assistant Director (Hygiene) at Urban Services Department headquarters. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 7 5 of the 7 are experienced health officers who hold a Diploma of Public Health, and 2 are newly appointed officers under training. This is out of approximately 500 doctors now employed in the Medical and Health Depart- ment. As regards the duties of health officers these are extremely varied and extensive, and cannot be listed in individual detail. In general, Health Officers investigate, advise and take action on all public health matters affecting their district; these include the many problems which arise concerning those health aspects of environmental hygiene, food hygiene, sanitary nuisances, etc. which cannot be dealt with routinely. Epidemiology is also a most important part of their work- involving the investigation and control of cases and con- tacts of infectious diseases, and the planning and execution of preventive health measures, including immunization campaigns. There is therefore now one health officer to about every 400,000 persons in the urban area, and I can assure members that they are more than fully occupied. DR. BELL:-May I ask the Deputy Director of Medical and Health Services how does the Medical Department divide its districts? You said that there are 7 experienced Health Officers and they work in various districts. Have they got a different district division from, say, the Census Division and what this Council uses as ward divisions? DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:—Yes, they have. There are three in Hong Kong and four in Kowloon. They have to split up the Island into three areas and Kowloon and New Kowloon into four areas. DR. BELL: What is the proportion of Health Officers to the number of population in other parts of the world? DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-This is extremely variable, Mr. Chairman. In England and Wales there are about 2,500 doctors engated in public health work all the time, which is about 1 per 20,000 of population, but they perform other duties which our Health Officers do not, in child health and other spheres. There is no standard ratio. It depends on the size of the territory, how spread out it is and so on. Hong Kong is fortunate in being packed and one can cover more ground so to speak with fewer people. In the New Territories which has roughly half a million population, we have 5 Health Officers, that is 1 per 100,000.

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Page 12 of 259

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

DR. BELL:-Mr. Chairman, as a result of that answer, could I ask you is the other ingredient perhaps sulphur dioxide?

CHAIRMAN:-No, it is not sulphur dioxide.

CHAIRMAN: I shall be pleased to do that.

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS:-Mr. Chairman, the third ingredient which you could not recall is: hot air. (Laughter).

MR. SALES: --May I ask the Director of Public Works whether that hot air was emitting from Official channels of communication? (Laughter).

(2) DR. A. M. S. BELL asked the following question:

How many doctors are seconded to the Urban Services Depart- ment in the urban area as health officers? What are their duties and can the Chairman confirm that they are fully occupied?

THE DEPUTY Director of Medical and HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

As regards the duties of health officers these are extremely varied and extensive, and cannot be listed in individual detail.

Epidemiology is also a most important part of their work- involving the investigation and control of cases and con- tacts of infectious diseases, and the planning and execution of preventive health measures, including immunization campaigns.

There is therefore now one health officer to about every 400,000 persons in the urban area, and I can assure members that they are more than fully occupied.

DR. BELL: What is the proportion of Health Officers to the number of population in other parts of the world?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES:-This is extremely variable, Mr. Chairman. In England and Wales there are about 2,500 doctors engated in public health work all the time, which is about 1 per 20,000 of population, but they perform other duties which our Health Officers do not, in child health and other spheres. There is no standard ratio. It depends on the size of the territory, how spread out it is and so on. Hong Kong is fortunate in being packed and one can cover more ground so to speak with fewer people. In the New Territories which has roughly half a million population, we have 5 Health Officers, that is 1 per 100,000.

1967 — Page 12

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