ENG-1965 — Page 130

7

Health

GENERALLY speaking the health of the population continued to be good during 1965 against a background of overcrowding. Unlike previous years there were no water restrictions and this may have partially accounted for the fact that for the first time since 1960 there was no case of cholera in the Colony. There was a steep rise in the notifications of, and deaths from, measles. This was largely due to an epidemic which occurred in the early part of the year. There was also a slight rise in the number of poliomyelitis

cases.

The number of traffic and industrial accidents requiring treatment in casualty departments and admission to hospital continued to rise. The mortality pattern showed fewer deaths from the com- municable diseases and more from diseases of later life, particularly neoplasms and cerebro-vascular accidents. Tuberculosis remained the most important health problem in the Colony, accounting for more sickness and deaths than all other communicable diseases combined.

Following acceptance by the government in 1964 of a white paper on development of medical services in Hong Kong, the working party which prepared the white paper was reconstituted by the Governor as the Medical Development Plan Standing Committee. With the Director of Medical and Health Services as chairman, the committee comprises two nominated members of the Legislative Council and representatives of the Medical and Health Department and the Colonial Secretariat. The task of this committee is to keep the recommendations of the white paper under continuous review and to report its conclusions on all major matters to the government through the Medical Advisory Board. The first report of the committee was tabled in the Legislative Council in July 1965.

During the year the Sha Tin Clinic and Maternity Home, built with funds donated by the Government of the United States of