FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1977
THE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS HAD FALLEN FROM 254.5 PER 100,000 POPULATION IN 1970 TO 178.4 IN 1976, THE DISEASE COULD BY NO MEANS BE REGARDED AS SUBDUED NOR MUST THERE BE ANY SLACKENING IN THE DRIVE AGAINST THE DISEASE.
HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO ADOPT A VIGOROUS AND ACTIVE APPROACH IN THE BATTLE AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF REDUCING FURTHER THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY TO ELIMINATE IT IN THE ULTIMATE.
DR. THONG SAID A LARGE SCALE CASE FINDING PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN WAS BEING PLANNED FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR TO MOTIVATE PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOMS ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH A COUGH LASTING MORE THAN FOUR WEEKS TO APPEAR FOR A CHEST X-RAY.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, THE TREATMENT METHOD FOR TUBERCULOSIS WOULD BE IMPROVED TO REDUCE THE DURATION OF TREATMENT TO THREE OR FOUR MONTHS WITH A SMALLER NUMBER OF DOSES OF CHEMOTHERAPY.
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS FOR FEBRUARY
*****
THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY SHOW A SURPLUS OF $288 MILLION AS COMPARED WITH A SURPLUS OF $248 MILLION IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.
THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN ACCUMULATED SURPLUS OF $874 MILLION FOR THE FIRST ELEVEN MONTHS OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1976-77. COMPARED WITH A SURPLUS OF $407 MILLION FOR THE SAME PERIOD IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.
GROSS EXPENDITURE AT $542 MILLION WAS $76 MILLION MORE THAN IN FEBRUARY 1976.
TOTAL REVENUE AND RECEIPTS AT 3830 MILLION WAS $117 MILLION MORE THAN THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR DUE MAINLY TO INCREASED RECEIPTS FROM DUTIES, INTERNAL REVENUE AND LAND SALES.
15