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HEALTH
out-patient services. The medical development programme includes 23 clinic and polyclinic projects throughout the territory.
Mobile dispensaries and floating clinics take medical services to the outlying islands and the more remote areas of the New Territories. Other inaccessible areas are visited regularly by the 'flying doctor' service, with the assistance of the Auxiliary Air Force.
At the end of the year, 306 clinics were registered under the Medical Clinics Ordinance. Of these, 97 clinics were under the control of a registered medical practitioner and 209 were registered under the provisions for exempting certain clinics. Registered medical practi- tioners in the Estate Doctor Association set up clinics in housing estates to provide a low-cost service for residents.
The total attendance figure at government out-patient clinics was 16 million, 5.7 per cent more than in the previous year.
Family Health
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The Family Health Services of the Medical and Health Department operate 45 Maternal and Child Health Centres, providing a comprehensive health programme for women of child-bearing age and children aged up to five years. Ante-natal and post-natal medical consultation as well as family planning service are offered to women. Immunisation programmes are carried out against tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis and measles. During the year, about 93 per cent of newborn babies attended the Family Health Service centres.
Under a comprehensive observation scheme, children are assesed at different ages for detection of early developmental abnormalities. If necessary, they are referred for specialist care or to child assessment centres for further examination.
At present, there are two child assessment centres. The multi-disciplinary approach adopted ensures early rehabilitation for the child. Six more child assessment centres will be established in the coming decade.
Health education is an essential component of the family health services. In addition to health talks and counselling on child care offered at centres, health education for expectant mothers is also extended to government hopitals, with particular emphasis on the promotion of breastfeeding. A telephone service is available to answer enquiries from the public.
The government-subvented Family Planning Association of Hong Kong runs 27 birth control clinics, providing such services as pre-marital counselling, contraception, sterilisa- tion, vasectomy and advice on sub-fertility. There is also emphasis on health education and publicity on family planning and sex education.
School Health
The School Medical Service Scheme is operated by an independent School Medical Service Board. Participation is voluntary and for a token fee of $10 a year children from Primary 1 to Form 3 can receive free medical attention from a general medical practitioner of the school's choice. The government contributes $65 a year for each pupil enrolled and also bears the administrative cost. The general response to the scheme is good: more than 369 000 children from 887 schools have taken part – representing about 46 per cent of the eligible school population - and about 400 general medical practitioners have enlisted.
The School Health Service, a government responsibility, deals with the environmental health and sanitation of school premises and the control of communicable diseases. School health officers, health visitors and health inspectors make frequent inspections of schools to
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