ENG-1990 — Page 197

HEALTH

treatment of these conditions which may lead to disability. Parents of children identified through the screening programme are advised on the treatment and management needs of their children.

Rabies Control

Rabies control is carried out by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Hong Kong regained its rabies-free status in July 1989 following a period of two years during which no case of indigenously acquired rabies in human or animal had occurred. Notwithstanding the situation, strict control measures remained in force throughout the year: these included import control and quarantine of imported animals, compulsory licensing and inoculation of dogs against the disease, intensive apprehension and elimination of stray dogs, thorough observation of biter animals for rabies infection and close surveillance of the closed areas at the border.

Hospitals and Development Programmes

Hospitals in Hong Kong - both public and private - provide a total of 25 286 beds, representing 4.4 beds per thousand population. They provide hospital services at low-cost which are easily accessible to the people of Hong Kong. In 1990, more than 645 400 patients were treated at the 35 public hospitals. There were 9 837 000 attendances in the specialist clinics.

Cases of acute illness and accident casualties are taken to the accident and emergency departments, which are attached to major hospitals. Such emergency treatment is provided free of charge. In 1990, there were 1 100 000 attendances in the public sector, averaging 3 057 attendances per day.

During the year, the demand for hospital services remained high, as reflected by the consistently large number of attendances at out-patient and specialist clinics, accident and emergency departments, and the number of hospital admissions. In addition, both departments provided medical care to Vietnamese boat people. In the latter half of 1990, there were 7 300 attendances at accident and emergency departments by boat people, and 7 200 admissions with a total of 43 800 bed days occupied.

Work on the Hospital Services Department's development programme has been progressing satisfactorily with the opening of Tuen Mun Hospital and the completion of Sha Tin Cheshire Home and Sha Tin Infirmary and Convalescent Hospital in 1990. Construction work is continuing on the 1 600-bed Pamela Youde Hospital in Chai Wan, which is scheduled for completion in 1992.

At Queen Mary Hospital, construction of the Phase II extension block has been completed and the new psychiatric and paediatric wards were opened in 1990. The first bone marrow transplant unit in Hong Kong commenced operation in May 1990. There will be a total net addition of 510 beds upon completion of the whole extension project by 1994.

Extensive redevelopment of the Ruttonjee Sanatorium in Wan Chai from an institution for chest and tuberculosis patients into a general acute hospital with 614 beds was completed in 1990.

Other important projects which are well underway include improvement and extension of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, the Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan and the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital in Causeway Bay.

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