ENG-1996 — Page 219

HEALTH

The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine is an independent statutory body with the authority to approve, assess and accredit all post-internship medical training. Its 14 colleges conduct training and examinations to award specialist qualifications to qualifying candidates.

The School of Public Health Nursing in the Department of Health provides a full- time in-service training programme for registered nurses which leads to a diploma in public health nursing studies. It also runs various short courses for enhancing and updating professional knowledge of all grades of nurses.

Training in dentistry is available at the University of Hong Kong, which produced 38 dentists in 1996.

Government Laboratory

The Government Laboratory provides regulatory testing services in the areas of public health, environmental protection, consumer protection and commodities testing. Samples of fresh produce and cooked, processed and preserved food are regularly examined for composition, additives, toxic residues and contaminants. During the year, more than 52 000 laboratory tests were conducted to ensure the wholesomeness of food. Special investigations were also carried out to study phthalates in milk products and polynuclear hydrocarbons in heated edible oils used in food establishments.

Work has continued on the examination of monthly samples of cigarette brands on sale in Hong Kong in order to determine their tar and nicotine yields. The results from this testing programme are published annually to help implement the government's anti-smoking policy.

Pharmaceutical products are tested regularly to check compliance with pharmacopoeia specifications and health standards, so as to protect the public from sub-standard or defective medicine. Interest in the safety of some common Chinese herbal preparations is increasing.

An important part of the laboratory's work concerns consumer goods safety, including toys and children's products. This activity has continued to grow steadily in recent years. Articles examined have ranged from aquatic toys to folding tables and strollers. Dangerous substances surveyed for occupational health and safety in factory premises as well as pesticide formulations certified for registration purposes continued to feature in the laboratory's work.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Preparatory Committee on Chinese Medicine (PCCM) was set up in April 1995 to advise on a statutory framework for the promotion, development and regulations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Hong Kong. In 1996, it completed a territory-wide enrolment exercise for TCM practitioners and was finalising its recommendations on the criteria for the proposed statutory registration of TCM practitioners. It had also revised the list of potent/toxic Chinese herbs and published a health education leaflet on the safe and proper use of traditional Chinese medicine.

Drug Abuse and Trafficking

The government aims to stop the illicit trafficking of drugs into and through Hong Kong; to develop a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation programme for drug

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