X1000306-1961-62_Part01 — Page 36

TABLE 18

GOVERNMENT MIDWIFERY SERVICE 1961

Maternity beds in hospitals

Maternity beds in maternity homes (urban)

Maternity beds in maternity homes (rural)

Midwives (excluding hospitals)

Cases attended (excluding hospitals)

Average case-load for cach midwife rexcluding hospitals)

346

76

149

69

16.430

238

233. Midwives in private practice attended 37.6% of all births, the great majority taking place in small maternity homes of from two to six beds. The Supervisor of Midwives, a Government Senior Medical and Health Officer, is responsible for the regular inspection of such homes and for general supervision of the work of the midwives; in this task, she is assisted by a qualified Health Visitor. The work undertaken in 1961 by the private midwives is outlined in Table 19.

In the clinics all forms of group education are available, such as simple talks, film and puppet shows and flannel-graph illustrations; practical demonstrations and group discussions are widely used, the choice of medium depending on the subject and on the audience.

236. Clinics are held in both full-time and part-time centres and there are sessions for ante-natal and post-natal cases, for infants aged 0-2 years and for toddlers aged 2-5 years. Close liaison was maintained between Maternity Hospitals and the Maternal and Child Health Service to ensure the after care of infants requiring special attention. The work performed during 1961, as compared to that of 1960, is detailed in Table 20.

TABLE 19

PRIVATE MIDWIFERY SERVICE [96]

Number of midwives in active practice

Number of registered maternity homes

Number of beds

Matemity home deliveries

Domiciliary deliveries

Total deliveries

TABLE 20

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES 1960-61

1960

1961

Number of full-time centres

Number of subsidiary centres

Number of ante-natal sessions each year

17 2,023

ព 19

2,131

New ante-natal attendances

20,296

22,995

Total ante-natal attendances

77,741

92.553

183

Number of post-natal sessions each year

BIG

BST

116

New post-natal attendances

4.686

5,031

480

Total post-matal attendances

6,399

6.546

Number of infant welfare and toddler sessions

38,734

3.481

each year

4,358

4.815

New infant welfare attendantes

29.634

37,735

Total infant welfare attendances

307.956

363.206

New toddler attendances

5.052

8,990

Total toddler attendances Total home vixils

40.187

37,903

59,071

64,167

41.115

234. All midwives are trained to perform vaccinations against small- pok and to administer B.C.G. to new born infants. It is due to the efforts of these midwives, both Government and private, that 79.31 per cent of all children born in 1961 received B.C.G. protection, a measure which has resulted in a dramatic fall in child mortality from tuberculosis.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

235. In this most important and popular aspect of the work of the Department, the emphasis is on health education and the prevention of disease. All facilities are provided without charge, and once disease is detected, exclusive of minor ailments, the child concerned is referred to the appropriate branch of the curative service for investigation and any necessary treatment. When cured the patient is encouraged to return to the relevant Maternal and Child Health Clinic. The Health Education of groups of mothers in the clinics and of individuals while home- visiting is a permanent and continuing activity of the Health Visitors.

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237. A part-time centre was opened during the year in the new Jockey Club Clinic at Shek Wu Hui where infant health sessions were held once a week and ante-natal sessions twice weekly. Ante-natal and infant welfare clinics continued to be held once a month in Tai O on Lantau Island and infant welfare clinics were held twice weekly in the Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Estate. The total attendances at the Govern~ ment infant and toddler clinics increased by 21% and new attendances by 11% only 0.23% of those attending for the first time showed any abnormality, Immunization against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus is given as a routine using a triple vaccine. Smallpox vaccination is given where necessary and children not known to have B.C.G. are tuberculin tested, those with a negative reaction receiving B.C.G. Those aged 3 years and under who are tuberculin positive but without signs of active disease are given prophylactic L.N.A.H. for a period of one year.

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