ENG-1958 — Page 154

Chapter 9: Public Health

PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

RESPONSIBILITY for the administration of the Public Health Services is divided between the Medical Department, the Urban Council acting through the Urban Services Department, and the New Territories Administration. The Medical Department provides out-patient clinic facilities and hospital services, and deals with such matters as epidemiology, vital and morbidity statistics, mater- nal and child health, school hygiene and the health of school children, malaria control, tuberculosis control, measures to combat social diseases, port health control and international health matters, and health education. The Urban Services Department is concerned with environmental sanitation, domestic cleanliness, and control of the import, preparation, handling and sale of food in the city areas. The District Commissioner, New Territories, is statutorily responsible for the public health in the New Territories and is advised by officers of the Medical Department.

The work of the Medical Department is under the direction of the Director of Medical and Health Services, and that_of the Urban Services Department under the Director of Urban Services, who is concurrently the Chairman of the Urban Council. Close liaison is maintained between these two departments through the Assistant Director of Health Services, who is in administrative charge of all health activities in the Colony and is concurrently Vice-Chairman of the Urban Council and public health adviser. He has certain executive functions in regard to both the Council and the inspectorate of the Urban Services. The inspectorate is further guided by Health Officers of the Medical Department, who exercise statutory powers under public health legislation. The work of the District Health Officers is directly controlled by the Senior Health Officer, who also exercises supervisory control over Medical Officers in charge of other health activities such as Maternal and Child Health Services, the School Health Service, etc.