Report of the Director-General of Public Health, New South Wales.

  • New South Wales. Department of Public Health.
Date:
[1965]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Director-General of Public Health, New South Wales. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/202 (page 8)
    Permission has been granted for statutory control of water pollution and negotiations are proceeding between the various Authorities involved as to the mechanism and degree of control and co-ordination necessary to surmount this problem. The Riverina Health District was established during this year, and the organization for decentralization is now complete with Health Districts covering the whole of the State, except for certain areas in the far west. The next stage will be a division of the Metropolitan Health District into smaller Districts, the first of which will encompass Parramatta and surrounding areas. As soon as accommodation is available in Parramatta this change will be effected. VITAL STATISTICS The estimated population of New South Wales at the end of 1965 was 4,237,514. During the year the increase in population by excess of births over deaths was 39,120, by net migration 39,468 making a total increase of 78,588. In 1964 the corresponding figures were 41,031 and 31,602, making a total increase of 72,633. The total number of live births in 1965 was 78,069. The crude birth rate has declined every year over the last five years, from 22-07 per 1,000 mean popu¬ lation in 1961 to 18-61 in 1965. The number of stillbirths registered was 947 or 1-2 per cent of all births (live and still). There were 38,949 deaths, including 1,492 infant deaths for the year. This corresponds to a crude death rate of 9-28 per 1,000 mean population and to an infantile mortality rate of 19-11 per 1,000 live births. Compared with 1964 the death rate from neoplasms, mostly malignant, showed a fall from 1,425 to 1,369 per million mean population. Deaths from malignant neoplasms of the lung have in recent years shown a rapid rise in both number of cases and rate in both sexes; and in 1965 in males the disease accounted for 25-79 per cent of the total deaths due to malignant diseases. THE HEALTH DISTRICTS Metropolitan Health District The proposed establishment of a new Health District in the western metropolitan area has not yet been implemented so the Metropolitan Health District covers the same area and comprises the same Local Authorities as in 1964. The population of the District at 30th June, 1965 was 2,488,680, an increase of 54,340 over the figures for 1964. Live births numbered 44,604 and deaths numbered 23,763 giving respective rates of 17-91 and 9-54 per 1,000 mean population. There were 9 maternal deaths and 814 deaths under one year of age giving respective rates of 0-18 and 18-25 per 1,000 live births. Communicable diseases notifiable under the Public Health Act totalled 3,802 with 128 deaths. Of these, infective hepatitis accounted for 1,771 cases and 11 deaths. There were 3 cases of typhoid fever and 2 of poliomyelitis. There were 7 cases of diphtheria with one death in an elderly patient and immunization programmes were intensified in the areas where these occurred. In environmental sanitation, particular attention was given during the year to the problems of disposal of garbage and of water pollution of rivers and ocean beaches. Public, semi-public and private swimming pools received increased supervision. The Rural Health Districts The Riverina Health District with headquarters at Cootamundra came into effect on 2nd August, 1965. With the exception of the sparsely populated Wentworth and Central Darling Shires, the whole of the State is now divided into Health Districts. Details of vital statistics and activities of these Health Districts are given by the Medical Officers of Health in their reports. In general, observations are made on the problems associated with the drought which most of the districts have experienced and the continued expansion of activities in environmental sanitation, pure food administration, tuberculosis control, maternal and child welfare. Notification of venereal diseases has improved now that notifications of cases in these districts are sent to the Medical Officer of Health. HEALTH INSPECTION The Health Inspection Branch at Central Administration is responsible to the Metropolitan Medical Officer of Health for the work carried out in the Metropolitan area. The establishment of the Riverina Health District together with the Kosciusko State Park reverting to supervision from the South Coast Health District has resulted in the activities of the Branch in country areas becoming more limited. Sanitary surveys were carried out during the year in the Municipalities of Junee, Young and Murrumburrah and the Shires of Murray, Demondrille and Hay. The work of the Survey Section on unhealthy building land was limited by the staff being under establishment. Conferences arranged at Head Office for all departmental Senior Health Inspectors continue to prove to be very useful in keeping officers stationed in the country centres informed of new developments.