220. The Colony-wide average attendance at each ante-natal session was 44, as against 43 in 1961, and the average attendance by each expectant mother was 4. Post-natal sessions are the least popular and it seems that attendance is exclusively confined to women who either suspect or are conscious of an abnormality; 16% of those who attended for post-natal care needed some form of treatment.
221. Maternal and Child Health centres played an active part in the oral poliomyelitis vaccination campaign held in January and March 1963, and they provided all the specimens of sera and of faecal swabs for the virological and serological studies carried out by the Govern- ment Virus Unit in connexion with the campaign.
SCHOOL HEALT|| SERVICES
222. The Medical and Health Department undertakes in all regis- tered schools, through its School Health Service, responsibility for environmental sanitation, the control of communicable disease, immunization against diphtheria, smallpox and typhoid and health education. There is also a medical inspection and curative service pro- vided for a limited number of participants in the existing contributory School Health Scheme. This latter scheme is under review and is expected to be replaced soon by a School Medical Service operated on a per capita contributory basis by private practitioners. To this end negotiations have been conducted with the Chinese Medical Association which has agreed in principle to assist with the launching of a compre- hensive inspection and curative service.
223. During 1962 there were 23,724 pupils from 253 schools who were participating in the existing contributory School Health Service. Medical inspections, clinics services, dental care and specialist ophthal- mic and car, nose and throat investigations and treatment were pro- vided. Table 18 sets out the work done.
Afedicul Inspections 38,619
TABLE 18
WORK OF SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE 1962
Cieneral Clinic Attendances
41,947
Dental Altendances
30,060
E.N.T. Attendances
1,796
Ophthalmic Atremulunces 3,596*
• 1.70K pores of ipcctacle and 147 males of lens replacorocols were issued.
224. There were no epidemics of infectious disease in the schools and there was a drop in the incidence of diphtheria, 254 cases being notified
as against 312 in 1961. A total of 137,971 school children were immuniz- ed against diphtheria with a full course of inoculations and a further 30,999 were given booster doses: 159,713 children were vaccinated against smallpox and 441,34) were inoculated against cholera,
225. Tuberculin testing has been carried out during the year as part of a general investigation to check the sensitivity state of pupils in regis- tered schools throughout the Colony with a view to extending the B.C.G. service, as a routine, to all school children. During the year 49,567 tuber- calin tests were done and 22,903 were given B.C.G. The positive reactors were investigated, as were known family contacts of tuberculosis; those with suggestive signs and symptoms and those with a 15 mm. or greater reaction were requested to attend for an X-ray examination. In these three groups a total of 648 were advised to attend for an X-ray; 505 of them showed no radiological evidence of disease and 104 were referred for full investigation at a chest clinic. The remaining 39 did not co- operate by attending for X-ray examination.
226. Before being permitted to teach in registered schools, school teachers are required to undergo an X-ray examination. During the year, 3,212 chest X-rays were taken and 11 teachers were found to be suffering from active tuberculosis; in such cases permission to teach is refused and priority admission to hospital arranged. After full investigation a further 154 teachers were permitted to teach under regular medical supervision. 227. Registered School premises are inspected routinely by Health Inspectors and all new premises or applications for extensions or altera- tions to schools are investigated to ensure adequate environmental sanita- tion and hygiene. For this purpose 2.866 inspections were carried out, and reports were made on plans for new schools or for extensions to existing schools.
228. Health clucation activities included lectures by doctors and health visitors to teachers-in-training; visits were also arranged to school clinics for practical demonstrations of the common health problems amongst school children. School visits by Health Visitors, home visits. and talks to pupils and parents at school clinics are routine activities which are an integral part of the work of the School Health Service.
DENTAL SERVICE
229. The Government Dental Service, under the direction of the Senior Dental Specialist, provides general dental care for the Civil Service as well as a School Dental Service, related to the School Health Scheme. In addition, emergency dental care is given to patients in Government
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