ENG-1966 — Page 161

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HEALTH

the committee's report was published, making recommendations concerning the future of the clinics and of the unregistrable medical practitioners employed in them. A major part of these recommenda- tions was accepted. It is intended that the powers of the Registrar be extended to register clinics with exemption for three years as from 1st January 1967, and that mobile clinics registered with exemption be prohibited after 31st December 1967; arrangements have been made to replace the latter with properly equipped clinics and consulting rooms housed in buildings. Certain other recom- mendations were also accepted and incorporated in the Medical Clinics (Amendment) Ordinance 1966.

DENTAL SERVICES=—-

The government dental service undertakes complete dental care for all monthly-paid government officers and their families, and offers a limited treatment programme for inpatients of government hospitals, prisoners and inmates of training centres. The service also provides emergency treatment for the general public at certain clinics. There are 27 government dental clinics and one mobile unit, the latter supplementing static clinic facilities in the New Territories.

Fluoridation of Hong Kong's urban water supply began in 1961 and most of the population now receives water which has been treated with sodium fluoride or sodium silico-fluoride. The rate of enrichment is 0.7 parts of fluoride per million in summer and 0.9 parts per million during winter. It is considered that this measure has already brought about a reduction in the prevalence of dental caries, particularly among children, and that this benefit will be more marked in the future.

Many voluntary bodies and welfare organizations, particularly the Hong Kong Dental Society and the St John Ambulance Brigade, maintain free or low-cost dental clinics and many dentists give their services free. The Church World Service, the Lutheran World Service and Caritas operate fully equipped mobile dental clinics.

OPHTHALMIC SERVICE

Based upon two full-time outpatient centres equipped with operating, investigation and treatment rooms, this service operates on a sessional basis in the urban areas and in the outlying districts