FIFTH REPORT - World Health Organization

312 FIFTH REPORT ON THE WORLD HEALTH SITUATION
Major public health problems
Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem.
Hong Kong is also facing increasing problems
due to the rising incidence of cancer and cardiovascular
diseases. Attention is also being directed to special
care for the aged and disabled and to the improvement
of the environmental and housing conditions of the
community as a whole.
Social and economic developments of significance for
the health situation
Economic growth has been rapid in the period under
review, raising the level of living in Hong Kong. There
were improvements in housing facilities, and public
assistance and free primary education were introduced.
In 1972 a "Keep Hong Kong Clean" campaign was
organized with special attention to environmental
pollution on land and water.
National health planning
The development programme of the Medical and
Health Department has made rapid progress. Between
1969 and 1972, 37 projects were completed, under
construction, or being planned for the improvement
and expansion of the health and medical services in
urban and rural areas.
Medical and public health research
Research activities are carried out by the various
units of the Medical and Health Department and in
collaboration with local and international agencies.
Such investigations during the period under review
related to viral hepatitis, lung cancer, salivary gland
tumours, tuberculosis, nasopharyngeal carcinoma,
and cancer of the breast. Clinical, biochemical, and
bacteriological studies are also being carried out on
different therapeutic and anaesthetic agents.
Assistance from WHO
In 1972 WHO's assistance to Hong Kong included
the following project:
Epidemiology and health statistics (1972): a consultant
reviewed the epidemiological and statistical
work of the Medical and Health Department and
advised on measures for strengthening and improving
the relevant services.
Government health expenditure
In 1971/72 total government expenditure amounted
to 2939.1 million Hong Kong dollars, of which
HK$ 304 700 000 were spent on the public health
services. HK$ 267 200 000 were spent on current
account and HK$ 37 500 000 on capital account. The
per capita expenditure on health was thus HK$ 75.
MACAO
Population and other statistics
At the last census, taken in December 1970, the
population of Macao was 248 636. Population estimates
and some other vital statistics for the period
under review are given in the following table:
1969 1970 1971 1972
Mean population . . . . 244 100 248 636 248 553 251 206
Number of live births . . 2 878 2 670 2 637 2 750
Birth rate
(per 1000 population) . 11.8 10.8 10.6 10.9
Number of deaths . . . 1 474 1 516 1 543 1 539
Death rate
(per 1000 population) . 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.2
Natural increase ( %) . . 0.58 0.47 0.44 0.47
Number of infant deaths . 62 96 65 81
Infant mortality rate
(per 1000 live births) . 21.5 36.0 24.6 29.5
Number of deaths,
1 -4 years 28 25 24 24
Death rate, 1 -4 years (per
1000 population at risk) 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.4
Of the 1539 deaths recorded in 1972, the main causes
were: 1 chronic rheumatic heart disease, hypertensive
1 International Classification of Diseases, 1965 Revision.
disease, ischaemic heart disease, other forms of heart
disease (256), malignant neoplasms (243), tuberculosis,
all forms (204), cerebrovascular disease (154), bronchitis,
emphysema and asthma (68), accidents (67,
including 20 in motor -vehicle accidents).
The communicable diseases most frequently notified
in 1971 were: tuberculosis, all forms, new cases (1304),
infectious hepatitis (409), influenza (227), measles
(89), typhoid fever (24), diphtheria (13).
Hospital services
In 1971 Macao had 7 hospitals and other inpatient
establishments providing a total of 1345 beds, of
which 392 were in three government hospitals. The
bed /population ratio was 5.4 to 1000. The 1345 beds
were distributed as follows:
Category and number
General hospitals
Rural hospitals
Paediatric hospital
Number of beds
4 1 263
2 12
1 70