ENG-1983 — Page 141

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HEALTH

Voluntary agencies continued to co-operate in the running of clinics in open refugee centres for the treatment of minor ailments while serious cases were referred to government hospitals and specialist clinics for examination and treatment.

Special Services

The Pathology Service provides clinical and public health laboratory services to govern- ment hospitals and clinics, and a consultant service for the government-assisted sector. It also administers hospital mortuaries and blood banks. The Institute of Immunology produces vaccine and other biological products for use in the local health services. The department's virus unit provides a central laboratory service for the diagnosis and surveillance of viral infections and valuable services for the screening, assessment and guidance of vaccination programmes against viral infections in the community. The Forensic Pathology Service, through its forensic laboratory, works closely with the Royal Hong Kong Police Force on the medical aspects of criminology and other medical-legal work. It also administers public mortuaries.

The Institute of Radiology and Oncology provides diagnostic organ image services for the government as well as consultant services to all government-subvented hospitals and private medical institutions. To further upgrade the diagnostic service, new computerised axial tomography whole body scanners were installed in two more major regional hospitals towards the end of the year. Another scanner will be installed in the Prince of Wales Hospital and several others are included in future hospital projects.

The institute also provides comprehensive radiotherapy programmes of the highest standard and a chemotherapy service, and operates a central cancer registry for Hong Kong. It operates radioisotope laboratories, mould laboratories and a radiological workshop. Professional staff of the radiation health unit, set up in 1982, carry out regular inspections of medical, commercial and industrial premises to monitor the working conditions of radiation workers. During the year, more than 1 000 radiation licences were issued to proprietors in accordance with the Radiation Ordinance. A personal radiation monitoring service is offered to more than 2 000 radiation workers. A thermoluminescence dosimetry system was commissioned in the latter part of the year to replace the existing film dosimetry system.

The Pharmaceutical Service is responsible for dispensing medicines in all government hospitals and clinics, and supervises and enforces laws pertaining to the control of dangerous drugs, poisons and antibiotics' 'as governed by the respective ordinances. Pharmacy law enforcement action has been intensified, with prosecution of illegal produc- tion and transaction of poisons and antibiotics. A significant event during the year was the crackdown on Chinese proprietory medicine containing harmful Western drugs. Altogether nine different brands of adulterated Chinese medicine worth $17 million were seized.

Community Nursing Service

The Community Nursing Service extends care to patients discharged from hospitals after acute illness and provides domiciliary medical care and support for the sick, the disabled and the elderly in their own homes.

Jointly operated by eight agencies, including the Medical and Health Department, the service is largely hospital-based, with domiciliary services provided through a network of 38 sub-centres. The ever-increasing number of referrals and patients served reflects the effectiveness of the service. During the year, 11 400 new patients were treated by com- munity nurses and more than 20 500 home visits were made.