6
TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1917-18 TO 1919-20.
free from disease. Seed lymph was obtained from Meiktila and Bangalore.
The quality of the lymph was good, reported results gave 99.87 percentage of
success.
10. Vaccination Establishment.—The following table gives the strength for
the last six years.
Years.
1914-15... ... ...
1915-16... ... ...
1916-17... ... ...
1917-18... ... ...
1918-19... ... ...
1919-20... ... ...
District
Superintendents.
41
41
42
42
42
42
Sub-Assistant
Surgeons.
5
22
24
26
28
29
Supervisor
of Vaccination.
44
41
38
38
39
41
Head
Vaccinators.
...
...
3
308
3
3
Vaccinators.
280
297
299
308
321
325
As will be seen there has been a steady increase in the number of vaccinators
employed. Three additional Supervisors have been appointed, one in Myaung-
mya District, one in Toungoo and one in Thatôn.
The three " Head Vaccinators " are employed in the Shan States in place of
Supervisors.
The conduct of the Department can hardly be described as good. During
the triennium, one Supervisor was removed and one suspended for six months.
One Head Vaccinator and thirty-four vaccinators were either removed or
dismissed for falsification of returns, neglect of duty, connivance at inoculation,
etc.
The average number of cases vaccinated in 1919-20 by each vaccinator
was 2,627 of whom 1,518 were primary and 1,109 re-vaccinations. These figures
show a marked improvement on those of the previous two years, when they were
1,761 and 1,607 respectively, but they look very small compared with the work
done by each individual vaccinator in Yamèthin as previously noted.
A vaccinator's work improves in direct proportion to the amount of
supervision he receives. Our present Supervisors vary greatly, some are
capable energetic men, but many of them just the reverse. They are not
sufficiently separated from the men they inspect, either by education, social
position or pay. They go through a six months' course at the Vaccine Depôt,
Meiktila, but their previous education is generally so poor, that they do not
benefit to the extent they should. Their only idea on arrival is to memorize
answers to any questions likely to be asked, and it takes the greater part of the
six months to knock this out of them.
Until every District has its Health Officer, and a good Military Assistant
Surgeon would probably be the best man for the post, I doubt if district
vaccination will ever be satisfactory.
Payment of vaccinators by results,
combined with good supervision to prevent fraud would soon work wonders.
During the triennium 8 Supervisors and 115 Vaccinators attended the
training school at Meiktila. Of these 6 Supervisors and 111 Vaccinators passed
the final examination.
11. Attitude of the people.—Except in the presence of a small-pox epidemic
the attitude of the people towards vaccination is generally apathetic. There
are no conscientious objectors, but no one wants to take the trouble. An
energetic official will stir the people out of their apathy—but it usually requires
the threat of small-pox to produce the energetic official. I have always
advocated the extension of the Vaccination Act, to rural circles, because I think
it would meet with no opposition, in fact the majority of villagers would never
know or realize that any change had been made. At present they bring their