ENG-1975 — Page 119

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HEALTH

Regular inspections are made of domestic and licensed premises, followed by law enforcement action wherever necessary. Special inspections are made in connec- tion with complaints of sanitary nuisances, vermin infestations, and other matters within the framework of environmental health.

The district hygiene staff also maintain close liaison with the Medical and Health Department in the control and investigation of infectious diseases.

Businesses and trades which require hygienic control are licensed only after the standard health requirements have been met. Except for hawker licences, all applica- tions for licences issued under the Public Health and Urban Services Ordinance are dealt with by a central licensing unit.

The educational approach to improve environmental health is done by the health education section, which organises publicity campaigns through the mass media and gives talks and training courses to specified groups of the population.

The section works closely with its counterpart in the Education Department, the Government Information Services Department, and various voluntary agencies in the public health field. Contests and competitions are also held in schools every year to promote health education among schoolchildren.

The food (import/export) section of the Urban Services Department provides services for the control of imported meat, poultry, milk and milk products. A new set of imported food regulations has been proposed with a view to tightening up control over other imported food items.

Export of food is dealt with by the health certification section. This section also provides services for inspection and certification of animal products for export under veterinary certificate.

For general overall control of food quality, regular surveys and scheduled sampl- ings are carried out by chemical and bacteriological analysis to check the composition of food and beverages and to ensure their continuing purity.

Staff Training

A training school under the direction of the departmental Health Inspectors Training Board is primarily concerned with the training of student health inspectors, but it also holds departmental training courses on technical subjects for other grades of officers. Student health inspectors are trained for two years to the standards required for the Diploma in Public Health Inspection for General Overseas Appoint- ments, issued by the Royal Society of Health, London. In January 1975, a local training course in the inspection of meat and other foods was established. It leads to the Royal Society of Health Diploma examination, so that health inspectors need no longer be sent overseas to obtain this qualification. To improve public cleansing techniques and management, a two year part-time training course is being run by Hong Kong Polytechnic to prepare health inspector candidates for the Testamur examination held by the Institute of Solid Wastes Management, London.

With a view to keeping pace with modern technology in food, environmental hygiene control, technical training, general administration, and health education,