Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services / [Ceylon].

  • Ceylon. Civil Medical Department.
Date:
[1944]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Director of Medical and Sanitary Services / [Ceylon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/14 (page 8)
    SECTION 6.—SCHOOL HEALTH WORK. The following figures show the work done :— No. of schools in the Island .. . . . . 5,686 No. of schools taken for medical inspections . . 1,713 No. of students medically examined . . . . 61,342 No. of scholars defective . . . . . . 46,644 No. of defects found . . . . . . 94,399 No. of defects corrected . . . . . . 40,276 In 3,605 schools the special scheme of Health Education was in operation as against 3,010 in the preceding year. 4,355 schools vrere provided with midday meals. Amount spent for the purpose was Rs. 3,763,589. SECTION 7.—HEALTH EDUCATION. Health Education and Propaganda were carried out on the same lines as in previous years. A special feature of the activities of the year was the intensive propaganda campaign against Venereal Diseases, which included the publication of a series of advertisements in the weekly Press and in monthly periodicals. The All-Ceylon Health Week was held in July, the celebrations being restricted to three days only owing to the present emergency. Loctures illustrated with lantern slides . . . . 231 Lectures without lantern slides . . . . 2,507 Cinema Shows . . . . . . 98 No. of Health Exhibitions held . . . . 244 No. of Talks given in Schools, Villages and Clinics by Field Officers . . . . . . . . 87,673 Conferences with staff . . . . . . 1,913 Conference with others . . . . . . 426 No. of Health Leagues functioning . . . . 115 Expenditure by Health Leagues on Health Work . . Rs. 5,724 -36. A new departure in the arrangement of the radio talks on Health was the having of a series of three talks for a term on one particular subject. The English talks were given during the first month and the Sinhalese and Tamil talks during the second and third months respectively. This has been very popular. 36 talks were delivered in all, the four special subjects chosen being Public Health, Venereal Diseases, Tuberculosis and Cancer. The four issues of the Health News for the year were devoted to these four subjects. All the leaflets on Venereal Diseases were reprinted and the pamphlets entitled “ Elementary Dietetics ” has been revised and the second edition is in the Press. All officers of the Department were circularised to give their full co-operation to the National Food Campaign organized by the. Civil Defence Commissioner, the special activity of the Departmental officers being the encouragement of compost-making and Home-Gardens. The new Health Van and the Health Cart are touring the villages doing special Health Education work among the school population in particular. This is a very popular activity and arrangements are being made to have another Health Van to replace the Cart and also to provide a separate Cinema Van with talkie equipment. SECTION 8.—NUTRITION. Nutritional surveys were carried out in different parts of Ceylon throughout the years Mothers and infants were examined by Health Officers and school children by Sanitary Assistant, in their areas. Reports were submitted monthly and the results analysed. These reports were of value in assessing the nutritional state of the population under war conditions. To make the study of the effects of wartime diets complete, dietary surveys were organized in the rural areas of Ceylon. Surveys were carried out in Kalutara, Matara, Rakwana, Godakawela and Anuradhapura. Much assistance was given to the Department of Civil Defence. Samples of wheat, flour and rice ware examined and reported on with a view to assisting the Food Controller in the distribution of these foodstuffs. Samples of millets, potatoes and pulses were also examined. A booklet “ Food in Wartime—What to Eat and Why ” was published and distributed in English, Sinhalese and Tamil through the Department of Civil Defence. Many coloured posters on nutrition were also prepared. The pamphlet “ Elementary Dietetics ” was revised. Investigations in the cyanide content of manioc were continued ; cases of manioc poisoning were studied and stomach contents analysed for hydrocyanic acid. Estimates were carried out on the vitamin C content of certain vegetables and fruits. Courses of instruction were given to sanitary assistants and learners, medical students, health officers and post-graduates. SECTION 9.—MALARIA. At the beginning of the year 1944, conditions favourable to the outbreak of an epidemic of malaria manifested themselves in certain parts of the Wet and Intermediate Rainfall Zones. Immediate action was taken to prevent the epidemic by generalized oiling of all rivers and streams where A. Cvlicifacies was breeding extensively. Steps were also taken to establish adult control measures and treatment centres in all areas likely to be affected, if and when necessary.