NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1918-19.
3
with the affected areas. The severe epidemic in Mergui in 1917-18 stimulated the
administration of the Tenasserim Division and its several districts to extraordinary
efforts with very creditable results. All districts (except Mergui and Salween)
showing a satisfactory increase in successful primary operations.
Statement I
7. Age at Vaccination.—Successful primary operations at under one year
totalled 120,613 in a population of over twelve millions, a little over one per
cent.; whereas the child population at the close of the first year is estimated at
3.6 per cent. of the total population or about 441,000. At ages one to six years,
218,165 successful primary operations were performed ; and divided evenly over
the five years period this would mean the protection by vaccination each year of
43,633 of the survivors not protected in their first year. The mortality is however
heavy at each year of this period, about 10 per cent. dying in the second year of
life, 6 per cent. in the third, 5 per cent. in the fourth and rather under 3.5 per cent. in
the sixth, while over 23 per cent. of the survivors of the first year die before they
have completed the sixth year. Hence we have a population of from 100,000 to
150,000 passing unprotected into the age-period above six years, in which only
58,942 were vaccinated in 1918-19. The results of the activities of the Vacci-
nation Department are, if the returns can be depended upon, encouraging, but
there is still a large child population at all ages which remains unprotected.
Efforts are being directed at reducing the age at vaccination to as low a figure
as possible.
Statement
III.
8. Dispensary
Vaccination.—During
1918-19, 3,707 operations were
performed in dispensaries against 2,787 in 1917-18 ; of these 2,066 were primary
operations, with a percentage success of 98.49, and 1,641 re-vaccinations with a
success ratio of 67.42. The largest number of vaccinations was performed in
the Mandalay Division and in Myitkyina District, closely approached by the
Irrawaddy Division and Myaungmya District.
9. Vaccination in Fails.—On an average jail population of 13,521, the
number vaccinated during the year was 25,257—22,659 of which number were
re-vaccinations.
10. Private Practitioners.—Reported
283 primary vaccinations with one
hundred per cent. successes, and 627 re-vaccinations with about 60 per cent.
successes.
Appendix B.
11. Vaccination in Towns.—Against an estimated population of 20,177
infants who survived the first year of life, 22,128 successful primary operations
at under one year of age were performed. The excess over estimated births was
due to causes explained in previous reports— among which immigration and
defective registration of births predominate. Towns in which a high proportion of
surviving intants escaped vaccination in their first year of life were Kyaukpyu
55 out of 77, Thôngwa 54 out of 234, Zigôn 53 out of 137, Prome 118 out of
575, Ngathamggyaung 81 out of 163, Henzada 72 out of 449, Kyangin 113 out of
208, Mergui 98 out of 352, Salin 50 out of 163. Towns which vaccinated
numbers much in excess of estimated survivors were .Akyab, Pegu, Insein,
Pyapôn, Kyaiklat, Yamèthin, Pyinmana, Pyawbwè, Myingyan, Mandalay,
Rangoon, Magwe, Yenangyaung, Thayetmyo and Pakôkku.
Statement
V.
12. Verificaiion of Results.—Primary
Vaccination.—Out of 425,266
persons Civil Surgeons and Health Officers verified 58, 170 or 13.68 per cent.
against 12.60 per cent. in 1917-18; and Supervisors of Vaccination verified
203,960, or 47.96 per cent. against 53.55 per cent. in the previous year. The
proportion verified out of 141,109 re-vaccinations by Civil Surgeons and Health
Officers was 8.24 and by Supervisors of Vaccination 46.47—the corresponding
ratios in 1917-18 were 7.42 and 46.52. The amount of verification work
performed by both classes of officer was on the whole satisfactory, though
there was a decrease in work performed by Supervisors of Vaccination. Civil
Surgeons found 93.45 per cent. of primary cases and 62.87 per cent. of
re-vaccinations inspected successful.
Supervisors of Vaccination return a
percentage success of 96.19 in primary cases verified, and of 58.35 in
re-vaccinations.
As is usual the amount of verification work performed by different Civil
Surgeons varied within wide limits. The Civil Surgeon, Lower Chindwin,
heads the list with 5,434, and 47.94 per cent. of primary operations, followed by
the Civil Surgeon, Myingyan, with 4,844 and 40.01 per cent. and the Civil
Surgeon, Prome, with 3,558 and 29.92 per cent. Other District Superintendents
of Vaccination who performed a very creditable amount of verification work
between 2,000 and 3,500 each, and percentages of total operations between 15.46
and 36.40, were the Civil Surgeons of Magwe, Pegu, Ma-ubin, Tavoy, Thatôn,