Report of the Health Officer, Corporation of Madras Health Department.

  • Madras (India). Health Department.
Date:
[1964]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Health Officer, Corporation of Madras Health Department. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/334
    FORWARDED While placing the Annual Report of the Health Officer for the Calendar year 1964, I have to place on record, the valuable services rendered by late Dr. B.V. Sundarababu, who had been the Health Officer of the Corporation of Madras for 8 years, and who passed away suddenly on May 20th, 1964. In his death the Corporation has lost a nice and able officer. Dr. I. Gopalakrishnan, Circle Health Officer, VII Circle was placed in additional charge of the post of the Health Officer till December 11th, 1964 when Dr. A. Ramachandra Rao, the present Health Officer, has taken over the post. The year under review witnessed two fairly big Epidemics, one, the unprecedented and unusual epidemic of Dengue-like-fever which was partly due to the Virus of Chikun-gunya on the wake of which the City had the other Epidemic, the Cholera. Small-Pox prevailed as endemic throughout, but it was gratifying to note that though the year 1964 was peak year, the incidence was less than the previous year. National Small-Pox Eradication Programme was in full swing throughout this year and it is hoped that the fruits of this programme would be reaped in the years to come. The infant mortality rate which is recognised as the Index of the general sanitary level of any country was maintained low. It was lower than that of the previous year. I am happy to note that the various laboratory services rendered by the Health Department have been quite useful particularly the contribution made by the I.D. Hospital not only in rendering medical relief to the suffering but also in the field of research especially in Small-Pox, which has earned recognition all over the world. The sanitation of the Food establishments and markets and the Preven¬ tion of Food Adulteration require more vigorous and energetic tackling; Food adulteration is rampant and the sanitation of hotels and eating establishments in a majority of cases is not upto the mark. But in all these aspects of the public health work, the department alone cannot do much unless the public also co-operate with the Corporation in booking the offenders. I am sure that the Health Officer and his staff will bear these in mind and do something to tighten up the machinery in tackling these aspects of public health effectively. Another aspect of the public health activity that requires proper atten¬ tion is the medical examination of school children. It is the aim of the Corporation to see that every child studying in Corporation Schools is medically examined every year and that all the children found defective are treated and followed up. In this aspect also the Health Officer and his staff have been asked to do something and come up with proposals for re-organisation. I do not propose to go into any more details of the report since it will be only a repetition of what the Health Officer has said in his presentation of the report. I have to place on record the excellent services rendered by the Health Officer and his Assistants in implementing various measures to control epidemics in the City during the year, despite several handicaps. No pains will be spared to make the City more healthy and sanitary than what it is now. J. A. AMBASANKAR, Commissioner, Corporation of Madras. Ripon Buildings, Madras-3. Dated: 24-9-65.