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

  • Durban (South Africa). Public Health Department
Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    106/140 (page 84)
    Private Asiatic Schools These are acutely in need of health instruction as no hint of hygiene appears on their curricula, neither is it conspicuously present in practice. The enrolments are between 150 - 200 per school and many schools are under the aegis of a religious sect for the purpose of sectarian instruc tion. Others are run by the community and are not under government control Principals of non-European schools covet health film programmes because of the lasting impression on the children, often reflected in end of year examination answers. Parents are encouraged to attend sessions: one group numbered 85. A Government Request The Minister of Health, through the Union Health Department requested information on the health education scheme pioneered by Durban. The letter stated '’with the vast experience and success you have had, it would be very much aporeciated if you could kindly furnish a detailed report on the scheme, e.g. material, equipment, personnel, etc. required, what the present methods of health education are, how these can be improved upon and what the .estimated cost of such a scheme would be. A descriptive and analytical report of this section’s health education activities and development was forwarded together with an album containing photographic illustrations of the work. Future Health Educators Government. Provincial and Mission Hospital Nurses: The successful health lectures to mission hospital non-European staffs in the City were extended to Government and Provincial Hospitals. From King Edward VIII Hospital there were classes of 41, 43, 45, 47, 53 and 52, ranging from those in the preliminary training school to finalists. Sub¬ jects covered many examination requirements. Other attendances were as follows: King George V Hospital - 8 sessions - total attendance 1,086 St. Aidan's Hospital - 2 - » »» 50 McCord Zulu Hospital - 1 » it it ]_25 Students were counselled not only as nurses but as future health educators amongst their own people and on certain health-social subjects they were also adjured as future mothers. Senior Sister Tutors reported noting most beneficial results. They said, for instance, that one viewing of the bilharzia film did more than all their lectures] Where the Public Eat We are experts at the game of robbing Peter to pay Paul - especially in the matter of drafting staff from one job to another. In this case the film technician is responsible for health instruction to personnel of hotels and public eating establishments. He interviews the manager, arranges times, himself presents the case for the prevention of the spread of disease to Indian waiters while an African deals with the Bantu staff. In a popular seaside resort with no closed season there is constant need for reminding food handling staff of the need for exquisite care in the matter of preparation of food and of re-presenting the facts because - (a) although theoretically a European supervises the kitchen, in the majority of cases, non-Europeans are left to themselves; • • • 35 -