ENG-1975 — Page 110

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Health

MEDICAL and health services were further expanded in 1975 with the opening of Princess Margaret Hospital in northwest Kowloon. The first patients were accepted in October, and the hospital is gradually working up to full operation.

The 1,340-bed hospital cost $55 million-excluding equipment and furniture- and it has taken nearly five years to build. In addition to providing general facilities, the hospital offers a full range of specialist services for people living in northwest Kowloon and the west New Territories.

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Other projects completed during the year include the specialist clinic for the eastern area of Hong Kong Island and stage two of the South Kwai Chung Polyclinic. Work is nearing completion on the construction of the East Kowloon Polyclinic, alterations and extensions at the casualty department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and additions and improvements to Castle Peak Hospital.

The rapid development of medical and health services has resulted in a generally favourable state of health among the people. Although Hong Kong's geographical location and environment make it vulnerable to communicable diseases, it has remain- ed free from any epidemic and quarantinable diseases in recent years. The major cause of general mortality-at one time dominated by infectious diseases—is now cancer. Other important causes are heart and cerebrovascular diseases, pneumonia, accidents, and tuberculosis. The infant mortality rate is now at a lower level than many developed countries.

Administration

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The Medical and Health Department is responsible for medical and health care services for the community of Hong Kong. It operates hospitals and clinics through- out the urban and rural areas; maintains services covering family health, school health, industrial health and port health; and undertakes measures for the control of epidemic and endemic diseases. The estimated expenditure of the department for the financial year 1975-6 is $379.7 million. To this should be added subventions to many non-government medical institutions and organisations totalling an estimated $188.4 million. The estimated capital expenditure on hospitals and other buildings, including furniture and equipment, is $22.9 million.

Communicable Diseases

Notifications of communicable diseases totalled 12,355 in 1975. Cholera has not been reported in Hong Kong since 1969. Routine night-soil sampling for cholera