Annual medical and health report / Fiji.

  • Fiji. Medical Department
Date:
[1938]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and health report / Fiji. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/76
    1939. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, FIJI. COUNCIL PAPER, No.^-o. F.A. 48/4/19 pt. 3, Medical Department (Annual Report for 1938.) The Director of Medical Services to The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, Suva, 14 th August, 1939. I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, and for transmission to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State, the Medical Report on the Health and Sanitary conditions prevailing in the Colony of Fiji for the year 1938, together with the returns appended thereto. I have, &c., V. W. T. McGUSTY, Director of Medical Services. I.—ADMINISTRATION. 1. In addition to the statement showing the total revenue and expenditure of the Medical Department, this and subsequent annual reports will contain as close an approximation as possible to the financial situation within each of the main subdivisions of administration, hospitals and dispensaries, and public health. Medical educational services are still unavoidably included in the subdivision of hospitals and dispensaries. 2. The total revenue of the Medical Department for 1938 was £12,128. The total expenditure on all medical services, excluding capital expenditure, was £93,825 representing 9-6 per cent, of the Colony’s total expenditure of £977,957, the nett cost per head of population being 7s. lHd. The apportionment of revenue and expenditure to the three main subdivisions of the medical services of the Colony was as follows:— (i) Administration.—The nett expenditure under this heading amounted to £2,217, and was made up of the salaries of the Director of Medical Services and the headquarters office staff. The appointment of Assistant Director of Medical Services remained unfilled throughout the year. (ii) Hospitals and Dispensaries.—Revenue, which amounted to £11,195, includes hospital fees and other contributions from various sources which are detailed in Appendix D. Expenditure, which amounted to £64,600, includes the salaries of two Medical Officers posted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, and one moiety of the salaries of officials whose duties are partly curative and partly preventive, namely all Medical Officers posted in country districts, all Native Medical Practitioners, and the Nursing Superintendent whose responsibilities extend to both hospital and public health nursing. It also includes the Government Pharmacy and all the other costs connected with the maintenance of hospitals, including the Mental and Leper Hospitals. (iii) Public Health.—Revenue amounted to £933. Expenditure, which amounted to £27,008, included the full salaries of the Medical Officer of Health, Pathologist and laboratory staff, sanitary staff, infant welfare staff, and one moiety each of the salaries of all Native Medical Practitioners, Government Medical Officers posted in country districts and of the Nursing Superintendent. The expenditure on all public health services represents a proportion of 2-9 per cent, of the Colony’s total expenditure.
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