Annual public health report of the Province of Orissa.

  • Orissa (India). Public Health Department.
Date:
[1947]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual public health report of the Province of Orissa. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/76 (page 13)
    The Trivedi Leper Colony at Janla is a model colony being set up from a nucleus originally designed to accommodate 10 patients. The model colony, when fully established, will accommodate isolation of almost all the infective cases within a jurisdiction of 5 miles around. Ab »ut 40 cases are estimated to be segregated and provision has been made accordingly. The colony is expected to start functioning shortly. The Provincial Government have been pleased to grant Rs. 10,( 00 towards the initial expenditure and the Central council has agreed to meet the recurring expenditure to be involved in segregating 40 patients. The results of this model institution will be watched after ten years. With regard to other leper colonies, stated above, the Association pays capitation grant of Rs. 5 per head per month and the looal committee or the District Leprosy Council concerned meets the rest of the expenditure. Seth Abdul Rahim Osman has most generously provided funds for the construction of a clinic shed for the patients of Muslim, Hindu and other communities who gather at the Pir of Hazrat Sayed Julaluddin Bokhari at Kaipodora with the belief of being cured of leprosy by prayer. The fc'ethji meets also the feeding chvrges of these patients. The clinic has started functioning from December 1st. The Sethji has also promised to > onstruct a building for the establishment of a colony to accommodate 60 infective lepers in the neighbourhood of Kaipodora and to meet the cost of maintenance entirely. The Provincial Leprosy Relief Association will help him by lending a leprosy assistant with necessery drugs and equipments. Arrangements are already in progress for the construction of the proposed colony. The leper colony at Gunupur in Koraput, the construction of which has since been completed, is expected to function during the current year. The District Council has already raised necessary funds for the purpose. The Council has also taken over the building belonging io Public Works Department on the banks of the Indrabati near Nowrangpur and has been devising ways and means to establish a colony there. This is a suitablo place and will be the nucleus of the luture colony in Koraput district. There is a fairly large leper settlement at Hatigarh in the district of Balasore. At this colony the Leper population is more than 100. Many of the patients have practically settleed with their families in this colony and maintain themselves by cultivation and daily wages and a few depend upon local charity. The Provincial Government contribute Rs. 1,200 to this colony for treatment and the Provincial Association give a grant of Rs. 400. As many as 6,983 infective lepers have been detected so far, and it is essential that adequate hospitalisation is provided for them to ensure effective control of the disease. As a post-war measure there is a provision for hospitalisation of 300 patients in each of the districts and it is hoped that the problem can be solved to some extent wnen the scheme is given effect to. % Hydnocarpous plantation—A small plantation of Hydnocarpous is under experiment in Haripur reserve forest (Puri district). There are 57 plants reared in an acre of land. The progress of growth and fruiting is being watched to see how far the cultivation can be taken up on a commercial scale. The Divisional Forest Officer is in charge of this plantation. District Councils—The District Councils of Ganjam, Sambalpur and Balasore have been doing satisfactory work. Ihe District Council of Koraput has improved by collecting about Rs. 4,500. The District Council, Cuttaok has been recently reconstituted. The District Council, Puri needs improvement Executive Committee—Lt. Col., A. N. Chopra, o.b.e , i.m.s., Director of Health and Inspector- General of Prisons, Crissa continued to De tne ex-officio Chairman of tli9 Executive Committee during the year under review except from the 23rd July 1946 to the 16th October 1946 when Rai Saheb Dr. B. Naik, M. b., d. p. H., was in charge of the Chairmanship as the former was on Pave outside the Province. Rao Sahib Dr. B. Misra, m.b.,b.s., continued to be the ex-officio Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer during the whole year. Business Meetings—The Executive Committee met three times during tbe year to conduct the b usiness of the Association. ‘ ' . n. Finance—Besides the usual annual grant of Rs. 17,000 the Association received a sum of Rs. 10,000 from the Provincial Government towards the initial expenditure on account of the construction of the Triveedi Leper Colony. The British Empire Leprosy Relief Association (Indian Council) also paid Rs. 1,137-8-0 during the year excluding the amount of Rs. 5,110 paid already for one year’s running expenses of the Trivedi Leper Colony. Life Members—The number of life members has increased from 18 to 28 durjng the year. The Association hopes to increase the number of life and ordinary members. \ Financial Position—The existing finance cf the Association is inadequate even to expand its normal activities. The Provincial Government have been approached to sanotion the scheme, on anti¬ leprosy work on permanent basis and to increase their annual contribution from Rs. 17,000 to 27,000. Government have also been requested to sanction an additional amount of Rs. 10,000 to cover the deficit for the year 1945-46. A favourable response from Government and the public will improve the financial position to some extent.