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The combined neo-natal screening programme for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and congenital hypothyroidism, introduced in 1983, was continued so as to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions which may lead to disability. The programme now covers all babies born in Hong Kong, including those born in private hospitals.
Hospitals and Development Programmes
There are three types of hospitals in Hong Kong - government, government-assisted and private -- with a total of 25 057 beds, representing 4.4 beds per thousand of the population. During the year, pressure was experienced in all sections of the service. This was reflected by the constantly high attendance at out-patient clinics and accident and emergency departments, and by the number of hospital admissions.
The Medical and Health Department's overall plan for the decade involves the construction of at least four more government hospitals: a 1 600-bed hospital in Tuen Mun, a 1 600-bed hospital in Chai Wan, a 1 500-bed hospital in East Kowloon and a 1 200-bed hospital in North District. Plans include the provision of extension blocks to the first three regional hospitals: the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
Other projects in the pipeline include further extensions to the United Christian Hospital, Yan Chai Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital and the Tung Wah East Hospital. The Ruttonjee Sanatorium will be redeveloped into a general hospital with 614 beds and the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital will be reprovisioned in Tai Po. There is also emphasis on provision for the elderly infirm and the severely disabled, and 2 400 beds have been planned for the coming decade.
The total attendance at government and government-assisted accident and emergency departments during the year was 1 206 000, averaging 3 295 attendances per day. More than 679 000 patients were treated at 14 government and 20 government-assisted hospitals.
Clinics
General out-patient services form a vital part of the health care system. The government now operates 68 public general out-patient clinics as well as polyclinics and specialist clinics. Evening, Sunday and public holiday sessions continue at clinics in the more densely populated areas as part of the overall measures to meet the expanding demand for out-patient services. The medical development programme includes 18 additional clinics and polyclinics 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, 290 clinics were registered under the Medical Clinics Ordinance. Of these, 94 clinics were under the control of a registered medical practitioner and 196 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, 1.3 per cent less than in the previous year.
Family Health
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
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