2
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1917-18.
one defaulting district, Pyapôn, which shows a deficit of 14 operations on last
year's returns.
The latter has an excess of 3,588, contributed to mainly by
Thatôn District with 3,077 additional operations, Mergui with 1,877, and Salween
with 104. The three districts of Amherst, Toungoo and Tavoy, show a falling
off. Arakan Division as a whole shows a deficit of 1,454, Pegu Division of 912,
in which Prome District bears the largest share ; Upper Burma divisions and
districts have not done very well, with the exceptions above mentioned of Putao,
Sagaing, Thayetmyo and Minbu Districts. These two last named districts swell
the aggregate of successful primary operations in the Magwe Division to an
excess over the previous year of 1,110 in spite of the deficit in Pakôkku
District. Meiktila Division shows a deficit of 1,448 operations, contributed by
Myingyan and Meiktila Districts. The decline in Sagaing Division is 503, both
Upper and Lower Chindwin Districts showing a falling off, which in the latter
district is serious, and inadequately explained. The decrease in the Northern
Shan States is disappointing in view of the progress made there in the previous
year under the new scheme of work. The relatively large deficit in the Southern
Shan States is correlated with the very unsatisfactory state of the organization of
the vaccination staff working from Taunggyi, and is also partly due to the loss of
a vaccinator in Loimwe District. This Province has fortunately not suffered from
a general epidemic of small-pox for 5 years, and the stimulating influence of
epidemics is lacking in nearly all districts. Nevertheless we do find a marked
advance in the numbers vaccinated in certain divisions and districts, while others
are conspicuous for a decline in the propaganda. The most potent influence in
favour of progress in vaccination is undoubtedly improvement in organization of
the scheme of work, and the degree of support given to the vaccinators by the
district administrative officers of all grades. It must not be forgotten that vacci-
nation in rural areas is voluntary, that the mass of the people are apathetic in the
matter except in the presence of small-pox, but that there is very little antagonism
shown to the operation, and parents in general yield not unwillingly to advice and
pressure exerted by village headmen, more especially if Subdivisional and Town-
ship Officers take an active interest in the movement.
The weak spot in the organization of the Department is the lack of efficient
supervision of the vaccinators and Native Superintendents, the latter as a class
(with some notable exceptions) having proved to be neither efficient nor trust-
worthy ; while personal supervision by the Civil Surgeon can only be exercised to
a very limited extent in many of the largest and most populous districts. For the
present, reliance for improvement of the position of vaccination in the districts
must be placed in the Lay authorities, and it is encouraging to note that Com-
missioners and Deputy Commissioners on all sides are directing their attention
and energies to the encouragement of the vaccination propaganda in their
jurisdictions. In two important divisions, Irrawaddy and Tenasserim, the imme-
diate increase of staff and improvement of organization is being adopted with
vigour, and important developments may confidently be expected; while elsewhere
the position is being closely watched by the local authorities. It therefore seems
unnecessary to criticize in detail deficiencies which the figures for certain districts
quoted above reveal, since the general revival of interest in vaccination by all
concerned is likely to lead to an all round improvement in the immediate future.
Statement I.
5. Successful Re-vaccination.—Re-vaccination
returns show a marked increase
only in Mergui District where the outturn of work exceeded that of the previous
year by 1,640 operations, while it was 2,113 in excess of the number of revaccina-
tions performed in 1915-16.
Statement
V.
6. Verification work performed by Inspecting Officers.—Out of 430,206
persons primarily vaccinated 54,226 or 12.60 per cent. were verified by Civil
Surgeons and Health Officers, against 12.50 per cent. in the previous year, and
230,374 or 53.55 per cent. by Native Superintendents and Sub-Assistant Surgeons
against 55.26 per cent. in 1916-17. The return of work under this head is on the
whole satisfactory. Myaungmya District returns only 2.68 per cent., Toungoo
District only 2.39 per cent., Shwebo District only 1.59 per cent. of primary
operations inspected by Civil Surgeons, while in Ma-ubin District the Civil Surgeon
inspected 16.79 per cent., in Amherst District 19.75 per cent., in Tavoy 30.84
per cent., in Thatôn 19.67 per cent., in Bhamo 23.67 per cent, Ruby Mines 60.51
per cent., Lower Chindwin 55.79 per cent., Kyauksè 31.54 per cent. and Myingyan
43.44 per cent. In districts where large numbers were vaccinated, Native
Superintendents claim to have verified 93.08 per cent. in Pegu District, 84.10
per cent. in Insein District, 76.62 per cent. in Sagaing District, 88.92 per cent. in