PUBLIC HEALTH
157
the disease were reported. 132 infectious cases were admitted to the Hay Ling Chau Leprosarium which is administered by the Mission to Lepers with the aid of Government grants.
Dapsone tablets (0.1 gm.) are used as the routine oral treatment. Dapsone suspension has now been replaced entirely by Avlosulfon Soluble (Dapsone acetaldehyde bisul- phite) for injection. The content of dapsone in the blood is checked in a proportion of cases.
2
One of the most satisfactory developments this year was the establishment of an arrangement for the admission to Queen Mary Hospital of male patients requiring nerve trans- plant to prevent or remedy deformities of the hands.
HOSPITALS
Apart from nursing homes, and excluding institutions maintained by the Armed Forces, there are 31 hospitals in the Colony. Twelve of these are the responsibility of the Medical Department and the other 19 are run by various private organizations. Ten of the institutions in this latter category receive substantial assistance from Government in respect of the charitable services which they offer.
Į
The twelve Government hospitals provide a total of 2,184 beds, the Government assisted hospitals 3,063 beds, and private hospitals 1,051 beds. In addition, various Govern- ment dispensaries provide a further 123 beds, mainly in the New Territories and practically all for maternity cases, and there are 549 beds in private maternity and nursing homes. There is therefore in the Colony a total of 6,970 beds for all purposes, including the mentally ill and those suffering from infectious diseases. Excluding the 1,730 beds set aside for tuberculosis, the 261 beds for the mentally ill, and the 540 beds for the treatment of leprosy, there are 4,439 beds available for all general purposes, including maternity. Assuming the population to be about 2,700,000 this gives a figure of 1.65 beds per thousand of the population, a
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.