Report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Western Australia.

  • Western Australia. Public Health Department.
Date:
[1972]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioner of Public Health / Western Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/208 (page 10)
    EPIDEMIOLOGY AND SPECIAL SERVICES During 1972 there was a marked decrease in the notification of most infectious diseases, particularly those of intestinal origin, i.e. salmonellosis, infective hepatitis and bacillary dysentry. This follows on a particularly bad year for these diseases in 1971 and probably re¬ flects the extra work and care put in bv Local Health Authorities in policing sanitary measures as requested in my last Annual Report. Venereal Disease notifications continued to increase. How much of this is an indication of actual increase and how much is due to increased case finding and recording is difficult to say but it is significant that although the increase of V.D. recorded in males has been relatively small in the last year or two, the increase in females is incredibly high. This is largely due to the activities of the Venereal Disease Control Branch and its endeavour to find the unsuspecting female carrier and distributor of the disease. The Branch's activities in this direction have been greatly facilitated by assistance from medical practitioners, the Department of Corrections and the Health Education Council. The fact that 40 per cent, of all women notified as suffering from Venereal Disease are teenagers indicates the need for more educational drives of the type mentioned in the Report of Dr. Newnham. CHILD HEALTH In his report on the work of the Child Health Services, Dr. Carruthers indicates that there was a fall in both the birth rate and the total number of live births in 1972. The proportion of ex-nuptial births continues to rise slowly although the total number ol these was less than in the previous year. There was a further gratifying improve¬ ment in the infant mortality figures in the Perth Statistical division and in the rest of the State but the latter rate remains relatively high. A new Child Health Clinic was opened at Karratha but staff shortages continue to create problems in providing services for the rapidly developing northern towns in addition to the new metropolitan suburbs. Some rationalisation of country services has been possible and has partially relieved the pressure. Increasing emphasis is being placed on developmental screening of children throughout their pre-school years and this is reflected in a rise in attendances at clinics of pre-school children over the age of 1 year. On the School Health side a Medical Centre with a full time school health sister was established at a Metropolitan State High School. This has proved to be a most successful venture and has been well received by all parties concerned. Plans are in hand for this type of service to be extended. COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES 11 CV astern Australia, Public Health Field Nursing has evolved gradually since ’965. In January 1972, this branch of nursing was co-ordinated and included in the -nation of Community Health Services, a Branch of the Public Health Department. l:nt13 °} Community Health Services are to upgrade the health and prevent o-origmes and other depressed socio-economic groups and by a process of ui e standard of living in these groups. The Service has a State- ion but confines its activities to those not handled already by other ireas where such other services do not extend.