Report of the Medical Officer of Health / Municipality of Colombo.

  • Colombo (Sri Lanka). Public Health Department.
Date:
[1947]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Medical Officer of Health / Municipality of Colombo. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/22 (page 20)
    5.—Health Education and Propaganda. A projector and a number of films were imported. In the absence of an officer for Health education and propaganda whose post was recently suppressed, it is my intention to make use of the X’ray Technician and Health Visitors for this work. 6.—Care and After-care Work. The work is at present being done by the Health Visitors. But I should like to see a Committee of Volunteers appointed to work under the supervision, of the Service. It is one of the recommendations of the Tuberculosis Committee of 1945. 7.—Hospital Accommodation for City Patients. The Central Government has so far provided beds for City cases according to the accommodation available. Only a few cases have come to our notice of patients who were not segregated long enough and of others who had to be discharged in an infectious state to make room for more deserving cases. The number of beds available in Ceylon for all T. B. patients will continue for a long time to be inadequate. Consequently I recommend once again my scheme for “ Organized Home Treatment ” for those who are unable to leave home or cannot be admitted to Chest Llospitals for want of beds. This suggestion was endorsed in the Report of the Tuberculosis Committee (Sessional Paper III, 1945, 6 (8). 8.—Co-ordination. Government Institutions such as the General Hospital, Anti-Tuberculosis Institute, Chest Hospitals, Department for Ear, Nose, and Throat, School Medical Officer, have given their co-operation. There remains the relations with Medical Practitioners and the Public. Now that the Municipal Tuberculosis Service is fully equipped, it will now be possible to secure their fullest co-operation, confidence, and sympathy. Other aspects of Prevention. 1.—B, C. G. Vaccination. I submitted a report during the course of the year for the immunization of negative reactors to Tuberculin with B. C. G. vaccine. The method has been well tried during 20 years and has passed the stage of experiments. The cultures are now with the City Microbiologist and as the equipment necessary costs so little, I suggest a start be made immediately in this method of prevention. 2.—Preventorium. The offer of a Colombo resident to provide Rs, 25,000 to build a Preven¬ torium for the care of infected children and segregation of others inoculated with B. C. G. vaccine remains still open. If the Council were to provide the site, the Central Government, I am sure, will maintain the establishment. 3.—Funds for T, B. Work. In handing the T. B. Work to the Municipal Council, the Central Govern¬ ment stipulated that a minimum amount of Rs. 25,000 should be spent on the Service. The amount now spent is twice the amount and if more money is required the Public will only be too pleased to contribute to a fund if an annual appeal is made to them. In other countries, the appeal takes the form of the sale of “ Christmas Seals ” or “ Charity Stamps ”. They are made the occasion for Health Edu¬ cation and Propaganda and to draw the attention of the Public to Tuberculosis as a grave community problem or a social menace and as a disease which can be prevented and the urgency of measures to this end,