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COLONIAL MEDICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE.
18. I view with the greatest sympathy the proposal (paragraph 35) that further facilities should be given to medical officers for specialist work, and I believe that it will be found possible, particularly in connection with the provision for medical education in certain larger and wealthier Colonies to create a certain number of well paid specialist appointments. It is impossible, however, to provide such appointments in some of the smaller Colonies although some steps have been taken in that direction by grouping Colonies and arranging for visits by specialists.
19. I fully agree with the remark of the Committee (paragraph 36) that the prospect of As will be observed from the promotion is a necessary incentive to good work for most officers. observations made on the subject of salaries in the earlier part of this despatch, the salary scales in many Colonies, notably the West African, are based on the principle of a long scale. As regards the suggestion that this constitutes an argument for unifying services and amalgamating neighbouring units in order to equalise the flow of promotion, the Committee themselves realise that amalgamation can only be carried to a certain point, and as already indicated, I doubt whether any great extension of this principle is possible.
20 It will be realised that the proposals of the Committee (paragraph 37) as to the titles of medical officers are inapplicable to small Colonies where the medical service consists only of a few officers; but where the proposed change is possible and likely to prove of advantage it will be carried out.
21. Paragraph 38.-Officers desiring transfer who are qualified to do good service in medical posts outside their own Colony are eligible to be transferred. The suggestion, however, that transfers should not be allowed to affect adversely the ultimate pensions of the officers transferred cannot be carried out in its entirety. There is no prospect of the adoption of uniform pension laws throughout the Colonies; and in the absence of such uniformity medical officers cannot be given special treatment, but must come under the same pension conditions as other officers. It has, however, been possible to form certain of the Colonies into groups within which the final pension of an officer, from whichever of the Colonies included in that group he is drawn, is imply based on his salary at the time of final retirement from a post in one of the grouped Colonies.
22. Paragraph 39.-The proper housing of Colonial officers is a matter to which successive Secretaries of State have attached very great importance. In present circumstances, however, there are difficulties in making full provision for housing these officers, owing to the cessation of building during the War, the high cost of material and labour, and the increased staff in the Colonies. It is not possible to give medical officers specially favourable treatment in this matter us compared with other classes of Government officers. In those Colonies where there is a shortage of housing accommodation the Colonial Government are quite conscious of the problem, and are doing their best to meet it, but the financial difficulty is a serious impediment. It is not without point to mention that in Nigeria and the Gold Coast for instance, the cost of building a single large bungalow is upwards of £3,000.
28. The proposal advocated by the Committee (paragraph 41) that medical officers on their arrival for a first tour of duty should serve at least a month at headquarters and be attached for duty at the Colonial Hospital is followed wherever practicable.
24. Paragraph 42.-Reference Libraries are already provided in Tropical Africa and else- where in the Colonies where possible.
[25. To West African Colonies only. As regards the establishment of an Auxiliary Medical Service for the West African Colonies, I am not clear as to what the Committee propose (para- graph 43). They refer to the creation of an Auxiliary Medical Service on the lines of that of India or Ceylon; but the position in India and in Ceylon is different. In India there is a clase of locally-trained and fully qualified medical practitioners, and an auxiliary service in addition whereas in Ceylon the Medical service is staffed almost entirely by locally- trained and fully qualified medical practitioners, but there is no auxiliary service. necessary preliminary to the adoption of either system is the foundation of a medical college, and this depends upon the educational material available in the Colony out of which students would be found for the college. This matter requires careful consideration by the Governments and I should be glad to hear any views that you may desire to express on the subject.]
A
AR
[25] [26]. I fully concur in the Committee's views (paragraph 44) as to the importance of research work, and the foundation of research institutes in the Colonies, wherever practicable. a matter of fact Government research institutes already exist or are being established in the Federated Malay States, Ceylon, Gold Coast and Nigeria; a research institute is being established by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in Sierra Leone and a Bacteriological Laboratory is about to be provided in Cyprus. Much valuable research work is being carried out in some of the other Colonies, and it is hoped that, as their financial position improves, it will be found possible in their case also to provide the funds required for the establishment of fully equipped institutes.
I have, etc..
WINSTON 8. CHURCHILL.
Miscellaneous
No. 347.
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office.
193
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE.
ESTIMATES FOR 1919-20.
(For the Estimates for 1918-19 see Miscellaneous No. 336.)
:
COLONIAL OFFICE,
December, 1919.
(29-453-2) Wt. 29341-324 60 12/19 .9t. G. 2
A
885/26
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE UK BUTRODUCED TO TUGRAPHIL-
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