Annual report / Medical Department, Fiji.

  • Fiji. Medical Department.
Date:
[1944]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report / Medical Department, Fiji. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/12 (page 3)
    III.—HOSPITALS AND INSTITUTIONS. The pressure on hospital accommodation remains as in 1943. The new wards for 24 beds at Lautoka were completed, and a large programme of building for ancillary services and staff accommodation yet to be carried out will greatly improve all the hospital services. A steady increase in demand is the common experience of most of the services: some figures in illustration are:— Colonial War Memorial Hospital—■ In-patients Out-patients Obstetric, number of births . Dental attendances X-ray films exposed Ophthalmic attendances Pathological Laboratory— Specimens reported on Government Pharmacy— Cases of drugs dispatched Mental Hospital—- Admissions Central Medical School— Students qualified Central Nursing School— Students qualified Health Office—- Children’s Clinic, attendances 1941. 1942. 1943. 1944. 4,472 20,648 335 588 3,313 3,834 27,291 262 859 3,033 3,730 4,661 28,478 409 2,042 4,409 5,320 4,668 32,757 455 3,011 8,000 7,786 19,971 17,123 25,784 30,32S 1,262 1,355 1,644 2,537 42 41 36 30 «• • 13 13 14 10 7 6 17 • • • • • • 3,057 12,321 IV.—DISTRICT MEDICAL. Beyond the “ regional ” hospitals at Lautoka, Levuka, Labasa and Waiyevo, are the 15 small “ provincial ” hospitals and the 35 dispensaries. Even with the withdrawal of all District Medical Officers these small hospitals and dispensaries, each with native medical practitioner and native nurse, form a not illiberal country service scattered over the islands of the group. Extensive tours were made by the Ophthalmologist subsidized by Government; and a first tour made also by the Fijian, and only, Government Dental Officer, who qualified at Otago University and returned to the Colony in 1943. Much of the value of such tours lies in the instruction and encouragement given to the native practitioners. V.—SPECIAL DEVELOPMENTS. The Anti-Malarial and Mosquito Control Scheme financed by a Colonial Development and Welfare grant, made large progress in drainage and routine survey and treatment of breeding places at the main ports of potential Anopheline entry. An intensive campaign against filariasis and its vectors was inaugurated. The first of many small groups of native inspectors was trained in simple anti-mosquito measures; these groups will be distributed throughout the Fijian districts of the Colony to work through all the villages with a view to a great reduction, if not elimination, of one of the most widespread pests and of one of the largest single causes of native morbidity. VI.—SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC SERVICES. The institutions in Fiji established and accepted over many years by all South-west Pacific island territories as common central medical services are the Makogai Leper Hospital and the Central Medical School. The annual reports of both are printed in the following pages. The training of native nurses from all territories at the Central Nursing School, which would have so obviously great a value, is an undertaking of greater difficulty; the departure from their homes, and absence for long periods, of girls from other island groups is still a revolutionary idea, and in the more primitive Melanesian groups where they are most needed there is not as yet any sufficient primary education basis to equip potential candidates. H. S. EVANS, Acting Director of Medical Services. APPENDIX A. f VITAL STATISTICS. The estimated population at the end of 1943 and 1944 was:— Race. Males, 1944. Females, 1944. Total, 1944. Total, 1943. Increase. Increase per cent. Europeans .. 3,252 2,002 5,254 5,245 9 •17 Euronesians 2,971 2,810 5,781 5,605 176 3-14 Fijians 57,513 55,666 113,179 111,346 1,833 1-64 Rotuma (all races) 1,708 1,655 3,363 3,320 43 1-29 East Indians 62,122 51,025 113,147 109,488 3,659 3-34 Polynesians . 1,166 748 1,914 1,847 67 3-62 Chinese 1,893 513 2,406 2,351 55 2-34 Others 740 701 1,441 1,439 2 •14