Annual report of the Medical Department / Tanganyika Territory.

  • Tanganyika. Medical Department.
Date:
[1956]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Department / Tanganyika Territory. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    new efficiency of the organization is appreciated and that the service provided is now satisfactory. 5. Advance planning of development of medical services was a major preoccupation in the early months of the year. This resulted in the production of a Draft Plan for the Development of Medical Services in Tanganyika with special reference to the period 1956/61. This plan was laid on the table of the Legislative Council in July but was not debated until December. The plan was accepted by the Legislature as a statement of policy to be implemented as and when the necessary financial provision can be made available. This rider was necessary in view of the fact that at the time the plan was debated there was little confidence that the territory’s financial position would be such as to permit of its full implementation within the stated period. In view of these financial difficulties His Excellency the Governor directed the setting up of an ad hoc committee to examine the medical and other Government plans for development with a view to assessing priorities for their implementation in the light of financial resources likely to be available within the planning period. 6. A major highlight of the year was the visit to the territory of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret. Her very full programme included two Medical Department functions. During her visit to Tanga she paid a much appreciated visit to the Tanga hospital. In Dar es Salaam Her Royal Highness performed the opening ceremony of the new Dar es Salaam General Hospital which is the symbol of the territory’s modern and expanding medical services. Her Royal Highness graciously agreed that her name be associated with this important institution which is thus now known as The Princess Margaret Hospital and Training Centre. The institution is not yet complete and it will not be ready for full occupation for two more years. However, immediately after the opening ceremony certain parts of it were brought into use although not in every case for the purpose for which the buildings were erected as during this interim period alternative uses are essential. For example, the completed out-patient and administration block at the end of the year was being prepared for use in part as a training school until such time as the training school itself is erected. The administration offices were occupied before the end of the year and the Dental Unit was ready to start the training of dental assistants in January, 1957. Of the hospital itself the two four-storey ward blocks which will contain 200 beds each were by the end of the year well on the way to completion. The physiotherapy, mortuary and mental holding blocks were completed and the services block was well under way. Two hostels, each accommodating 80 students, were completed and occupied by male and female trainees respectively. Work had begun on four more similar hostels. 7. Also in Dar es Salaam, a third out-patient clinic, similar to those already functioning at Ilala and Mnazi Mmoja which have proved themselves to be very satisfactory indeed, was nearing completion at Magomeni. 8. Elsewhere in the territory new hospitals of 60 beds each were completed at Ukerewe and Singida, and a 30-bedded hospital at Same. Work on the construction of new 60-bedded hospitals was proceeding at Kibondo, Newala, Geita and Maswa, and at Tanga very good progress was made with the 150-bed Galanos ward block. This block, it is anticipated, will be in use towards the end of 1957. Other smaller, but nevertheless important, capital works completed during the year included hostels for the accommodation of rural medical aids