Annual report of the Sarawak Government Medical Department.

  • Sarawak. Medical Department.
Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Sarawak Government Medical Department. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (e) Plague 117. No cases of this disease have been reported in Sarawak for many years. The Health Section maintains anti-rat measures especially in port areas. (f) Poliomyelitis 118. No cases of poliomyelitis were reported in Sarawak during 1959. But in view of the proximity of Singapore and Malaya, where wide-spread outbreaks have been reported in recent years, facilities for vaccination are always available in the main centres, and stocks of vaccine are kept ready in the Central Medical Stores, in case of emergency. (g) Yaws 119. The mass campaigns carried out during the past few years have practi¬ cally eliminated the disease and only sporadic cases are now reported, from areas in which it was previously prevalent. (h) Trachoma 120. As already stated elsewhere in this report in the section on Specialised Services, the incidence of trachoma is high in some rural areas, but it has not yet been found possible to launch a full-scale attack on the disease, due to other more pressing commitments. (i) Castro-Intestinal Diseases 121. Gastro-intestinal diseases are very common due to a complete absence, in many places, of even the most primitive form of sanitation, and of a clean water supply. The Public Works Department has embarked on an extensive pro¬ gramme of development to provide clean and safe water supplies to towns and villages. The Medical Department concentrated, during the year, on the experi¬ mental sinking of tube-wells in rural areas, but the methods used have not been found entirely satisfactory for various technical reasons. In the main towns the bucket latrine system is gradually being replaced, by water closets. Progress has been slow however, as it is difficult to change the customs of the people. (j) Goitre 122. Goitre is endemic in Sarawak, in the upriver areas of the Second, Third and Fourth Divisions, where iodine is deficient in the diet. A start was made during 1959, to control this disfiguring disease. A salt iodisation plant was installed in Sibu, and brought into use towards the end of the year. All salt destined for the upriver areas of the Third Division, is now iodised by the Depart¬ ment, before being shipped upriver. The plant has worked very successfully and it is planned to install similar plants in other centres as soon as practicable.