Annual report of the Medical Department / Federation of Malaya.

  • Malaya. Medical Department.
Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Department / Federation of Malaya. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/140 (page 3)
    To The Hon’ble Dato’ Ong Yoke Lin, p.m.n., Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Federation of Malaya Sir, O I have the honour to submit the Annual Report of the Medical Department, Federation of Malaya, for the year 1959. The general state of health of the population has been satisfactory. There was an outbreak of smallpox late in the year in the States of Kelantan and Trengganu and effective control measures have been instituted to prevent its spread. At the end of the year only 48 expatriates remained in the country as a result of Malayanisation (13 per cent of total). Some aspects of the staffing problem continue to cause anxiety particularly in respect of trained nurses. An expanded training programme has been planned for the coming year. The plans for the Malaria Eradication Pilot Project have been finalised and the campaign will begin in early 1960. Sir Harry Wunderly’s report and recommendations regarding the control of tuberculosis in Malaya has been received and is under study. The Rural Health Services programme was pressed forward to the limit of availability of trained staff. Difficulties and shortcomings in hospitals continue to be the subject of criticism but in Kuala Lumpur preliminary work was started for a multi-storeyed maternity unit as a first phase in the rebuilding of the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. The Senior staff of the Institute for Medical Research are gra¬ dually being replaced by young Malayan Officers who are gaining experience in research work. In conclusion it is my privilege to acknowledge the assistance and cordial co-operation of the staff of the Ministry, the large body of workers in the various fields who constitute the staff of the Medical Department, and the many international experts, who for varying periods, were on assignment with us. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Dato’ (Dr.) Mohamed Din bin Ahmad, Director of Medical Services, Federation of Malaya Kuala Lumpur, 2nd May, 1962