ENG-1998 — Page 228

HEALTH

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Occupational Safety and Health Regulations in 1997. In 1998, AMS conducted first aid training for 11 750 civil servants, and qualified 179 persons in the private sector as first-aiders.

The AMS launched a Youth Ambassador Scheme in 1997 with the aims of instilling a sense of citizenship into youths aged from 11 to 16 and guiding them to adopt a healthy life style. In 1998, 750 youths joined this valuable scheme and took part in a series of life skills training programmes, community services and recreational activities organised by the AMS.

Other services provided by AMS to the general public include first aid coverage at country parks, cycle tracks, school activities and major public functions; advice on the provision of first aid facilities in work places; paramedical assistance at scene by the Emergency Response Task Force; non-emergency ambulance transfer service for patients requiring assistance and daily manning of 21 methadone clinics. In 1998, AMS was also involved in the promotion of home safety and first-aid knowledge to the general public through a series of programmes like health talks, home visits and TV demonstrations. The clinical services rendered to the Vietnamese boat people for over 20 years came to an end in June 1998 following the closure of the last detention centre at High Island.

Environmental Health

Working under the policy guidance of the two municipal councils, the Urban Services Department (USD) and the Regional Services Department (RSD) are responsible for environmental health in Hong Kong. This includes street-cleaning, collection of waste, management of public toilets and bathhouses, pest control, and services for the dead.

Under the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, organised by the Joint Provisional Urban Council/Provisional Regional Council Keep Hong Kong Clean Steering Committee, efforts continued to educate the public to keep the environment clean through the implementation of a series of educational and community involvement programmes. District-based clean-up activities, including the Keep Hong Kong Clean Activities Funding Scheme, were also organised to encourage public participation. The USD and the RSD between them prosecuted 44 301 litterbugs during the year, resulting in total fines of $18.53 million.

As a result of the global concern over vector-borne disease such as malaria and dengue fever and the rodent and mosquito problems discovered in surveys carried out locally in 1997, the USD launched special rodent disinfestation operations and anti- mosquito operations from February to April and from March to May respectively.

Public Cleaning

The USD and RSD strive to provide effective and efficient public cleaning services to maintain satisfactory environmental hygiene standards in the territory.

The departments provide manual street-sweeping services in all urban and rural areas. The frequency of sweeping varies from once in alternate days to six times daily, depending on the need in each area. Coupled with the provision of litter container emptying, street washing, mechanical sweeping and gully emptying services, both USD and RSD have all public streets cleaned except expressways as defined in the