ENG-1973 — Page 128

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HEALTH

The School Health Service continues as a government responsibility and is con- cerned with the environmental health and sanitary condition of school premises and the control of communicable diseases in schools. Routine inspection of schools is undertaken by school health inspectors, while immunisation of schoolchildren against the major infectious diseases is arranged by health officers.

Mental Health

Psychiatric cases are admitted to Castle Peak Hospital, mostly as voluntary patients, whereas the psychiatric unit in Kowloon Hospital, West Wing provides comprehensive psychiatric services in a general hospital setting. There is also a university psychiatric unit in Queen Mary Hospital. Outpatient treatment is available in the urban areas and in the New Territories, and day-patients are treated in the Psychiatric Day Centre on Hong Kong Island as well as the psychiatric unit in Kowloon Hospital and the Yau Ma Tei Psychiatric Centre in Kowloon. The Yau Ma Tei centre also provides special facilities for the observation of disturbed children. Occupational therapy is given in all centres and units. Prisoners are observed and treated in the Prisons Department's Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre. The severe mentally subnormal are treated in the Siu Lam Hospital, whereas other cases of mental sub- normality are in the care of the Social Welfare Department and the Education Department, where they receive occupational training and education. Certain volun- tary agencies, working in close co-operation with the Mental Health Service, assist in the rehabilitation of patients before their return to full social and economic activities in the community.

Drug Dependence

While continuing to give full programme treatment to voluntary patients with motivation, the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts (SARDA) experimented with short-term withdrawal treatment for patients without real motiva- tion to go through the entire comprehensive programme. These patients were admitted for treatment and stayed for about a month. It was the society's view that facilities were being wasted on patients not motivated for a planned rehabilitation programme.

The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) continued to provide a useful channel for the exchange of information and ideas between agencies engaged in the medical and social rehabilitation of addicts and the suppression of the drug trade. However, with the implementation of the recommendations of the McKinsey Report on the machinery of government, the Security Branch is now responsible for policy and programmes covering narcotics, and the Commissioner for Narcotics is answer- able to the Secretary for Security. Nevertheless, the Commissioner's role remains the same in the government's drive against narcotics.

The Central Registry of Drug Addicts of ACAN, set up in April 1972, has received about 36,000 returns from reporting agencies, and the first annual tabulation of the data was completed at the end of 1973.

In December 1972, the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society started a pilot scheme on methadone maintenance for 100 male addicts. The scheme is financed by the