ENG-1973 — Page 123

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7

Health

THE steady progress of Hong Kong's medical services' development programme continued during 1973. Medical and Health Department projects included the construction of Princess Margaret Hospital, and a new outpatients department at St John Hospital, Cheung Chau Island. The Tsz Wan Shan standard urban clinic and maternity home was completed in November.—

In May a new health office with staff quarters at Cheung Sha on Lantau Island was completed, and on September 3, a maternal and child health centre at Yau Tong was opened.

Building of combined staff quarters for Princess Margaret Hospital and the reprovisioning of the Sha Tau Kok rural clinic and maternity home also started.

Although Hong Kong's geographical and environmental circumstances make it vulnerable to infectious diseases, it has been free from any major epidemic in recent years. Considerable improvements have been made in the control of communicable diseases with the result that few cases occur. However, precautionary measures against the reappearance of cholera were maintained throughout the year. Diphtheria and poliomyelitis have been brought under control, due largely to the prevention programme, while the incidence of measles has remained at a low level in recent years.

Where once communicable diseases were responsible for the greater number of deaths, the position has now reversed and there are more deaths from non-communic- able diseases and from accidents. The most common causes of death in Hong Kong are cancer, heart and hypertensive diseases, pneumonia, cerebrovascular diseases and tuberculosis.

Administration

The Medical and Health Department provides hospital and clinic facilities throughout urban and rural areas, maintains maternal and child health and port health services, and is responsible for measures to control epidemic and endemic disease.

The estimated expenditure of the department for the financial year 1973-4 is $267,710,100. To this should be added subventions totalling an estimated $137,203,100 to many non-government medical institutions and organisations. The estimated capital expenditure on hospital and other buildings, including furniture and equipment, is $61,796,000.