Annual medical and sanitary report / Bechuanaland Protectorate.

  • Bechuanaland Protectorate. Office of the Director of Medical Services
Date:
[1950]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report / Bechuanaland Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/32 page 4
    SECTION n — PUBLIC HEALTH YELLOW FEVER 11. When in July, 1950, revised yellow fever regulations came into force following the delineation by the World Health Organisation of portions of the territory in the African yellow fever zone, a concerted effort was made to inoculate as many Europeans and Coloureds as possible against yellow fever. To this end special trips were made by air and nearly 500 inoculations were carried out, representing the vast majority of the non-African population affected by the legislation. 12. No prior consultation had taken place with the Governments concerned before the delineation, which first appeared in the Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin No. R.E.H. 183 of the 28th June, 1950. 13. Towards the latter part of the year the results of the mouse-protection tests on sera collected from persons in the N'gamiland, Okavango Swamps and Chobe districts during 1949 were made available by Dr. J. H. S. Gear of the South African Institute for Medical Research, to whom the Administration is deeply indebted. The report is published hereto as “Annexure A.” 14. While the results indicate that cases-of infection with the virus of yellow fever do^ occur, the number is so small, being approximately Lner cent, of all the individuals whose 1)100(1 was tested, and the incidence almost entirely in nomadic tribes', tbai It can be ruled out that the* disease is endemic in this territory. This is supported by the complete absence of [ evidence of infection of the monkey population with the virus of yellow fever. 15. By invitation, the Director of Medical Services attended a meeting of the Standing Medical Committee of the Central African Council in Zomba, Nyasaland, in September, 1950, at which the latest information regarding the yellow fever survey in the Bechuanaland Pro¬ tectorate was submitted. The meeting was unanimous in urging the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation, through appropriate channels, to cancel, or at any rate suspend, the application of the declaration of Nyasaland and portions of the Bechuanaland Protectorate as endemic yellow fever zones, pending the further investigations necessary to delimit the southern boundary of the yellow fever area in Africa. 16. The Committee was of the opinion that any mass inoculation of the African popula¬ tion would invalidate any future investigation designed to delimit the southern boundary of the yellow fever endemic zone in Africa. 17. Meanwhile, agreement had been reached with the Union Health authorities on the attitude to be adopted to the fairly considerable mine labour coming from and through the demarcated zone. 18. Towards the end of the year it was learned that the representations regarding the withdrawal of the newly delineated yellow fever zones had been successful, and at page 383 s of the Weekly Epidemiological Record R.E.H. 207 of the 13th December, 1950, the World || Health Organisation stated that “the notification in respect of Nyasaland and that part of the V Bechuanaland Protectorate referred to is accordingly withdrawn.” In view of this and of the very satisfactory results of the 1949 survey, all yellow fever legislation and restrictions were withdrawn. Neighbouring territories were informed and acted likewise. 19. As far as this territory is concerned, it is felt that the picture regarding yellow fever is almost complete. What does remain to be done, however, is the collection of bloods for mouse protection tests from persons in the villages in and around Francistown and between Francistown and Maun, particularly in the neighbourhood of the overnight stopping-places of the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association convoys. It is hoped to complete this in¬ vestigation in 1951. Funds for the purpose are available in a Colonial Development and Welfare grant, and the venues are being supplied by the World Health Organisation. PLAGUE 20. No outbreaks of human plague occurred during the year. 21. Active preventive measures, by means of D.D.T. dusting of huts and rodent destruc¬ tion, continued to be carried out at regular intervals. 22. A rodent survey in the Ghanzi-Kalahari area in April indicated that the epizootic in the latter part of 1949 had died out and there were signs all round of re-activity. Of 695 huts tested during one survey, not a single flea was produced. These huts are D.D.T.-dusted three times annually. Antagonism towards this dusting was at first widespread, but this attitude is now exceptional and the rodent staff are often asked by the Kalahari people for D.D.T. with which to dust their hair and clothes in order to keep down lice.
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