Annual report on Sarawak.

Date:
[1950]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Sarawak. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    120/230 (page 74)
    be said that the hospital assistants did very good work which was, to judge from the requests for extension of this service, really appreciated by the people. Total attendances at these dispensaries numbered 118,957 in 1950 as compared with 137,211 in 1949. The Travelling Dispensaries. (C.D. & W. Scheme No. D. 830). The full travelling dispensary scheme of sixteen travel¬ ling units was in operation from 3rd January when the fourteen additional boats commenced work. The year’s per¬ formance of these units has been very satisfactory and their regular penetration into areas previously untouched by medical services has been of great benefit. Reports from administrative officers have consistently recorded the popularity of the new service and public appreciation of it in the rivers served. The peoples of other rivers, not yet included in the scheme, have made frequent demands for visits from the boats and it lias been difficult, sometimes, to convince them that frequent and regular visits are essential and that the usefulness of the boats would be largely lost if their itineraries were so extensive that visits to any particular place would be infrequent. As it is, itineraries are stretched to the limit and the service can only be profitably extended by the provision of additional units. It is planned to do this in 1953. The maintaining of these units has been a not inconsider¬ able task and there have been many troubles. Mechanical defects have occurred with some frequency which is not surprising when one considers the hard and continuous work to which the engines are put. Nevertheless, as each boat is provided with a spare engine interruptions of schedules were not as significant as they might have been. There is little doubt, however, that as time goes on and engines begin to wear out troubles will increase. In fact, it is possible that major capital replacements will be necessary before the scheme has run its full course. During 1949, total attendances at the two travelling dis¬ pensaries then operating numbered 36,045. The preliminary figures of total attendances at the sixteen travelling dispen¬ saries during 1950 is 164,778.