Medical Officer's annual report [to] Durban Corporation.

  • Durban (South Africa). Public Health Department
Date:
[1972]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical Officer's annual report [to] Durban Corporation. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    immunization against smallpox, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough remained at a satisfactory level. The routine schedules were revised and measles vaccination introduced amongst the Bantu community towards the year end. This vaccine is not State-subsidised and its provision together with rubella immunization for high school girls represented a praiseworthy step by the City Council, which bears the full cost of both programmes. All members of the staff are expected to play a part in general health education, although the special section of 21 persons devoted to this task played a most significant role, particularly amongst the lower socio-economic groups. Environmental hygiene suffered as the staff situation con¬ tinued to deteriorate to an alarming extent. Despite the growth of the City and the calls on the Department in this field, the number of inspections decreased: in 1968, for example, 227,395 inspections were carried out but only 191,047 in 1972. That the general environmental sanita¬ tion and standard of inspectional work remained high is indeed a tribute to such a heavily burdened staff. Illegal trading in the City centre showed little signs of abating despite the co-operation of the South African Police. Replacement of certain inadequate beach-front restaurants with premises of suitable size and design remained un¬ resolved and a source of public health concern, especially during holiday periods when the available resources are stretched to the limit. Progress in water metering proceeded apace and this measure can be expected to reduce wastage of water, seepage and ponding of water and the consequent nuisances. The l8-year plan of sewerage reticulation continued, albeit at a slower pace than before, indeed a cause for disappointment as apart from premises utilising septic tanks, over 120,000 pails were still being serviced in June 1972. The finding of Anopheles funestus in the course of malaria prevention routine programmes gave cause for concern, more particularly as this carrier of endemic malaria has never been found south of the Tugela River according to records of malaria as far back as the epidemics of 1904-5 and 1929- Mosquito surveys were intensified and much drainage work put in hand. Over 26,000 Anopheline larvae were collected and examined departmentally, when some 350 A. funestus were found. However, with constant vigilance, surveillance and public co-operation it is anticipated that this City can hope to be malaria free. In Appendix C can be found a short account of the monitoring of Durban's Sea Sewage Outfalls and it is indeed most gratifying to record that at the time of writing this report the quality of the sea water at Durban's recognised bathing beaches remains excellent, judged on the most stringent of standards. . . . /iv
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