Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health / Nairobi Municipality.

  • Nairobi (Kenya). Public Health Department.
Date:
[1955]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health / Nairobi Municipality. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/140 (page 7)
    INTRODUCTION Quite early in 1955 it became evident that the emergency was receding, and as the weeks went by there was a most noticeable easing of tension and improvement in atmosphere, not only in the city generally, but more importantly, from our point of view, in the African locations. Coincidentally with this, the outbreak of poliomyelitis, which had been giving rise to much anxiety, began to fade out. The nature and pattern of the outbreak gave some colour to our theory that Nairobi is vulnerable to poliomyelitis and other virus diseases rather more than many places because of its very brisk air traffic. After all, no less than 53,000 people arrive in or pass through Nairobi each year by air, most of them presumably well within the incubation period of many infectious diseases which may have existed at their point of departure. The phenomenal growth of the city received a new impetus with the diminution of the emergency, although in fact, apart from some labour troubles it was astonishing how little this development has been affected by our troubles. During the year £8,500,000 worth of building plans were dealt with, and it was evident that not only was there a high degree of confidence locally in the future of the city but that people abroad also shared this confidence. In March discussions with government on the subject of tuber¬ culosis were resumed. Government’s attitude was that while they accepted our representations as to the urgency of tackling the problem in the city with vigour as soon as possible, it was also desirable that our work here should be co-ordinated with plans which had been evolved for a country-wide attack on this disease. This view was strengthened by the expectation that substantial aid might become available from the World Health Organisation or U.N.I.C.E.F. It was difficult to disagree with this, but the high level negotiations involved delayed our local plans for a radical attempt to check the