106
HEALTH
The Government Midwifery Service now has 28 district centres, two of which provide a domiciliary service. There are another 183 registered midwives practising privately in 104 maternity and nursing homes. Registered maternity homes are inspected regularly by the supervisor of midwives and her staff to ensure that conditions of registration are observed and that a sufficiently high standard is practised by registered midwives not working under the direct supervision of a doctor. Refresher courses are arranged by the government for private midwives.
The Maternal and Child Health Service offers free maternal and child care at 31 centres, 15 of which are full-time. Clinics are held for infants and toddlers, and for children between two and five years old. Ante-natal and post-natal sessions are also held at these centres. Whenever necessary, babies attending the clinics are visited at home and health visitors also go to the homes of new-born babies whose names appear in monthly birth returns. Health education forms a most important part of this work and includes practical demonstrations, talks, film shows and individual advice to mothers. Immunization against smallpox, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis and tuberculosis is offered at all centres.
The School Medical Service is operated by the School Medical Service Board, an independent body incorporated by ordinance, in conjunction with private medical practitioners, pharmacists and principals of schools. It offers a service whereby children attending schools registered with the Education Department receive medical treatment for the small sum of $7 a year. This per capita fee does not meet the cost of the service and the government contributes an equal sum, together with an additional $1 a head to cover admin- istrative expenses. At the end of the year 46,759 students attending schools were enrolled in the service and 250 private practitioners were participating.
The School Health Service, which has been in existence since 1927, continues as a government responsibility and is concerned with the sanitary condition of school premises, the control of com- municable diseases and the health education of children, teachers and parents.
MENTAL HEALTH
The Castle Peak Hospital for psychiatric patients, originally designed for 1,000 beds, was required to accommodate an average