ENG-1967 — Page 151

HEALTH

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forensic pathology laboratory. The Government Institute of Pathol- ogy maintains clinical pathology and public health laboratory services. The Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals maintain blood banks and the Hong Kong Red Cross Society operates a blood-collecting centre for voluntary blood donation; laboratory work for these blood banks is carried out by the Institute of Pathology. The Government Chemist is responsible for an analyti- cal laboratory which undertakes a wide range of investigations concerned with food, narcotics and medico-legal work, as well as a considerable amount of non-medical investigation.

OUTPATIENT CLINICS–

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To meet the increasing demand for treatment by modern Western medicine, the outpatient services, provided mainly by the government, and also by subsidized organizations and private agencies, are developing steadily. Many charitable and missionary clinics provide treatment either free or at a nominal cost. Numerous organizations, particularly the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, continue to take an active interest in medical and health problems. A large number of outpatient clinics are supported by kaifong, district and clans- men's associations. Commercial concerns and trade unions also operate clinics for their members.

The Jockey Club Polyclinic at Yau Ma Tei was opened in March 1967 and the government now maintains 43 clinics for general outpatients. Specialist facilities, available in the major centres in the urban areas, are provided, in the New Territories by visiting teams from Hong Kong and Kowloon. Mobile dispensaries and floating clinics take medical services to the more remote areas of the New Territories, especially the isolated villages on the eastern and western coasts. Other inaccessible villages are visited by the flying doctor service.

Since the Medical Clinics Ordinance came into effect in January 1964, 475 private clinics have been granted registration, of which 397 were exempted from employing registered doctors. Under the Medical Clinics (Amendment) Ordinance in 1966, the power of the Registrar of Clinics to register clinics with exemption was extended for a further three years as from January 1, 1967 and all clinics, whether registered or registered with exemption, are required