Annual report of the Medical Department / Federation of Malaya.

  • Malaya. Medical Department.
Date:
[1955]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Department / Federation of Malaya. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    for 257,844 births in 1954. This gave a maternal death rate of 4.2 per 1,000 births and the figure for 1954 was 4.8 per 1,000 births. 15. Principal Causes of Death.—There were 69,447 deaths recorded in the Federation of Malaya of which 13,425 only were certified by medical practitioners and 5,769 were inspected after death by medical men. Therefore figures shown under “Principal causes of death” are expected to be far from accurate. Principal causes of death are given below: Fever of unknown origin ... ... 18,665 (19,607) Infantile convulsions ... 8,765 (11,317) Malaria (all forms) 807 ( 940) Pulmonary Tuberculosis ... 1,526 ( 1,642) Pneumonias ... 1,893 ( 2,380) Violence . ... 2,483 ( 2,769) ' Diarrhoea and enteritis ... 2,157 ( 2,190) Senility . ... 11,600 (10,574) (Figures in brackets are for the year 1954). PUBLIC HEALTH—(2) SPECIAL DISEASES 16. The main public health problems of the Federation of Malaya are the prevention of malaria, reduction in pulmonary tuberculosis, eradication of yaws, prevention of the major infectious diseases and the treatment of Leprosy and Mental Diseases. Enforcement of Quarantine and improvement of the general standard of nutrition and health, especially the care of mothers and children, constitute an equally important part of the Health Services. 17. Malaria.—The total number of cases admitted into Government and Estate Hospitals was 8,577 with 74 deaths as compared with 9,695 cases and 111 deaths in 1954. Comparative figures are given below : Year Admission to Government and Estate Hospitals Deaths Case Mortality per cent. 1947 22,281 736 3.3 1948 15,477 428 2.8 1949 14,663 315 2.1 1950 11,720 236 2.0 1951 15,960 244 1.5 1952 14,115 192 1.4 1953 12,716 163 1.3 1954 9,695 111 1.1 1955 8,577 74 0.9 Although there was a remarkable decrease in the incidence of malaria it is still regarded as a major Public Health problem. Permanent anti-malarial drainage has been continued throughout and the work has proceeded most satisfactorily and represents a major effort in malaria control. Residual spraying of houses with DDT Emulsion, which was started in 1953 was still continued throughout the year 1955.