Annual report of the Medical Department / Uganda Protectorate.

  • Uganda Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1939]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Department / Uganda Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    scheme, recommended by Dr. Muir, Secretary of the B.E.L.R.A., has been put into practice. A plan has been drawn up whereby the hospital will be divided into two equal portions—one for infectious and the other for non-infectious cases—but the present building, built nine years ago of sun-dried brick and temporary materials, is in very poor condition and when funds allow it would probably be preferable to construct two small hospitals for each type of case. Mr. Lambert, a lay worker under the Toe H scheme of the B.E.L.R.A., has lived at Bunyonyi for the last five months of the year and has rendered most valuable services in commencing occupational therapy and in assisting and teaemng the lepers to comoat toe growing danger ot soil erosion. Mr. Lambert also helped with the Scout troop and was most popular in the Colony. Thei District Commissioner has given valuable assistance by providing more) ground for cultivation by the lepers on the mainland and also by reserving a portion of land for an observation village for healed cases. Dr. Church, the Medical Officer in charge, reports that the general happiness and morale* on the island continues to be excellent. School and Creche.—Here there is a general improvement in the standard of work and health of the, children. The number of lepers resident on the island at the end of 1939 was 402 made up as follows: — Men ... ... Infectious 57 Non-infectious 90 Women ... ... „ 44 „ „ 79 Children ... ... „ ' 18 „ „ 114 Deaths during the year 22, births 14, and discharges 40. Teso Leper Settlements.—These settlements are under the control and supervision of the Church Missionary Society, and consist of the Kumi Children’s Home and the Ongino Leper Colony. Kumi Children’s Home.—The number of children resident in the home was 531, including 55 untainted children of leper parents. Of this number 183 showed marked improvement, 185 slight improvement, 52 were discharged symptom free, 11 became worse, 11 left before the disease was arrested, 3 died and in 17 cases the disease was arrested with deformity. All of the 52 children discharged symptom free were able to read and write, had a knowledge of arithmetic, and could cut out and make their own clothes and also knew some English, i.e., their education had not suffered. The building of an observation block was completed during the year and has accommodation for 30 children. This was a gift from the Mission for Lepers. Ongino.—During the year 522 lepers were treated in the settlement— 281 males and 241 females—an increase of 26 over the preceding year. Of these 253 were much improved and 166 slightly improved, 39 cases were discharged as non-inf ectious, 6 died, 8 were apparently stationary, 20 left of their own accord and 30 “wanderers” i.e., casual visitants, were accommodated for short periods. Ten new permanent houses were erected, complete with kitchens, stores and latrines.