HEALTH
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Regulations, 1951, as embodied in the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance; for the correlation and dissemination of epidemiological information on communicable notifiable diseases; and for the supervision of immunization campaigns against cholera, smallpox, enteric fever and diphtheria. Four inoculation centres are maintained for the issue of International Certificates of Vaccination to people travelling abroad. Advice on medical problems is transmitted by radio to ships at sea.
A regular exchange of epidemiological information is main- tained with the World Health Organization Epidemiological Intelligence Station in Singapore and with ports and airports in other countries. Medical inspections of passengers arriving by land, sea and air are carried out as necessary at the respective quarantine stations at the points of entry, and quarantine measures are enforced against travellers from ports and airports infected with smallpox and cholera.
Sanitary control of the port and of the airport is also the responsibility of the Port Health service. These areas were kept free from Aedes aegypti throughout the year. There is regular supervision of the purity of water supplied by dock hydrants, water boats and the Airport Catering Service. Inspection of ships to determine the extent of rat infestation is carried out by members of the Port Health staff; international deratting certificates were issued to 88 ships after fumigation and deratting exemption certificates to 167 ships after inspection. The dock area and airport are included in the rodent control scheme for the Colony and returns of rats destroyed and of bacteriological examinations for plague are submitted weekly to the Epidemiological Intelligence Station in Singapore.
Maternal and Child Health. Because of overcrowded home con- ditions over 96.5% of registered births took place in hospitals and similar institutions. Maternity wards of hospitals accounted for 44.5% of the births and a further 52% took place in maternity homes maintained by Government and by other agencies. Only 3.5% of all deliveries were undertaken by domiciliary midwives, both Government and private.
The Government Midwifery service operates from 24 centres, of which six are domiciliary centres. In addition, there are 185 midwives practising privately from 108 maternity homes and five
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