ENG-2005 — Page 219

Health 181

Health, Welfare and Food and more than 250 players from over 30 bureaux, departments and organisations taking part.

The centre is also keenly aware that fighting and controlling infectious diseases requires effective communication and cooperation with the Mainland and other neighbours. In October, for instance, Hong Kong signed a Cooperation Agreement on Response Mechanism for Public Health Emergencies with the Mainland and Macao to facilitate the sharing of intelligence, expertise and resources, and hence a prompt response to cross-boundary infectious disease outbreaks. The Guangdong Province, Macao and Hong Kong also make a considerable effort to ensure the prompt and timely exchange of important information about infectious disease outbreaks and incidents.

Non-communicable Diseases

Health problems in Hong Kong are mostly associated with lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Among the leading causes of death, cancers, diseases of heart and cerebrovascular diseases together accounted for about 55.8 per cent of all registered deaths during the year. These diseases affect mainly elderly people and will continue to dominate the mortality statistics as the population ages.

In 2005, cancers were the top killer in Hong Kong and. claimed more than 12 000 lives. A Cancer Coordinating Committee has been established to formulate comprehensive strategic plans and make recommendations for the effective prevention and control of cancer in Hong Kong.

To reduce the number of women developing and dying from cervical cancer, the Department of Health, in collaboration with other healthcare providers, launched a cervical screening programme in 2004 to provide screening service for women aged 25 to 64. In addition, a Cervical Screening Information System has been developed by the Department to collect and analyse data on cervical smears.

Communicable Diseases

Hong Kong now lists 31 statutory notifiable infectious diseases, including three quarantinable diseases: cholera, plague and yellow fever. During the year, 20 192 cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported, of which 30.9 per cent were due to tuberculosis.

Children in Hong Kong are immunised against tuberculosis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella. Owing to the high vaccine coverage, diseases such as diphtheria and poliomyelitis have been. eradicated and the incidence of other vaccine-preventable infectious diseases among children is relatively low.

The estimated number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Hong Kong is about 3 000. Each year, about 250 new cases of HIV infection are reported. Sexual transmission remains the most common mode of spread of the infection, though in recent years there has been growing concern over reports of HIV infection among injection drug

users.