Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health [to] the Corporation of the City of Capetown.

  • Cape Town (South Africa). City Health Department.
Date:
[1946]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health [to] the Corporation of the City of Capetown. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/132 (page 14)
    NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS. The Regulations re Early Notification of Births (made by the Minister of Public Health in 1920) require the notification of births in the Municipality within twenty-four hours. During the year 1945-46, the number of births (and still-births) notified was 14,562, as follows:— Notified by midwives and nurses (other than extern or intern institutional cases) 7,191 Notified by doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 17 Notified by institutions (extern or intern) .. . . . . . . . . . . 6,936 Notified by parents and others .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 158 Notified by health visitors .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . . 260 There were 227 births notified in Langa Native Township. In Table M, on page 115, the births (and still-births) notified as having taken place in the Munici¬ pality during the year are classified by ward according to the manner in which the mothers were, attended. The following is a summary of the table :— Attended. In private houses : By private doctors By private midwives : Certificated Uncertificated By public midwives or midwife students No doctor or midwife No information In institutions : Public institutions Private nursing homes Births. Percentag 716 5-3 4,322 32 -1 2,092 15-5 1,422 10-6 172 1-3 64 0-5 8,788 65-3 3,316 24-6 1,355 101 4,671 34-7 The extern births attended by certificated private midwives continue to increase in proportion to those attended by uncertificated women. Sixteen years ago (1930-31) 80 per cent, of midwife births (extern) were attended by uncertificated midwives. In the present year the percentage was 32 per cent. The public institutions in which most confinements have taken place are the Peninsula Maternity Hospital, Somerset Hospital, the Booth Memorial Hospital, St. Monica’s Home and Vrede Oord. Public extern midwifery is done from the Peninsula Maternity Hospital, Vrede Oord and St. Monica’s Home. NURSING AND MATERNITY HOMES. Private nursing and maternity homes may be carried on only if registered by the Secretary for Public Health, and are to be conducted in accordance with the regulations made by the Minister under the Public Health Act. The inspection of such premises is made by the City Health Department on behalf of the Secretary for Public Health, to whom reports of the inspections are sent. This work is undertaken by the Deputy Medical Officer of Health through the maternal and child welfare branch of the Department. One of the health visitors is appointed as assistant inspector of nursing homes in addition to her other duties. On 30th June, 1946, there were 25 registered nursing or maternity homes in the municipal area, as follows :— Premises. Beds. General . . .. . . . . . . . .. 14 473 Maternity . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 10 197 Combined . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. 1 — General . . . . . . . . .. . . .. 7 Maternity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 25 699 During the year ended 30th June, 1946, 6 x-egistered premises were closed (5 general—50 beds, and 1 maternity—12 beds) and 5 new premises were registered (4 general—-89 beds, and 1 maternity—13 beds). The health visitor who deals with this branch of the work made the following visit s of inspection :— Annual inspection of premises . . . . . . . . 16 Visits re registration of premises . . . . 46 Subsequent visits to registered premises . . .. 94 156 Full reports were sent to the Secretary for Public Health in respec t of 22 premises imported on by the assistant inspector as follows :— New Registered applied- Premises, tions. General . . . . . . .. 4 8 Maternity .. .. . . 2 7 Combined .. . . .. . . — 1 6 16 There has been a slight increase in the number of beds in Cape Town during the year under review, but there still remains a great shortage of beds in nursing homes, particularly for maternity cases and for old people needing nursing care.