4
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1920-21.
Conspicuous amongst towns where a decrease in the outturn is noticed are
Nattalin and Letpadan.
In Nattalin against a total of 463 operations (334
primary and 73 re-vaccinations) returned for 1919-20, only 73 primary and nil
re-vaccinations were performed during the year under report. In Letpadan 137
operations only were returned as performed in 1920-21 against 665 in 1919-20.
The Civil Surgeon attributes this serious decline to constant changes amongst
vaccinators in these towns, and also to their services having been utilized
outside their jurisdiction for the greater part of the year owing to small-pox
outbreak.
A considerable decrease was recorded in Rangoon, Shwedaung, Bassein,
Tavoy, Maymyo, Pakôkku, and Pyinmana but the decrease was chiefly confined
to re-vaccination. In Yandoon, Toungoo, Mandalay, Shwebo, Sagaing, Thayet-
myo, Magwe, Yamethin, and Myingyan a decrease is noticed under both classes
of vaccination.
7. Infant Vaccination in Towns.—The number of births registered in 59
towns was 30,800, of which 7,944 infants under one year of age were reported
to have died during the year, leaving 22,856 survivors available for vaccination.
Successful vaccination was performed on 21,105 infants and the remaining 1,751
children still require protection. As in previous years there were many towns
(41) which returned a deficiency in the number of children vaccinated under 12
months of age. The reasons put forward by the various Civil Surgeons for this
result are postponement of vaccination owing to ill-health, migration, and the
dislike of parents to vaccination of young infants.
Fifteen towns returned as vaccinated an excess of infants under one year
over the number calculated as available. Defective birth registration and inward
migration are no doubt the chief causes of this discrepancy.
8. Dispensary Vaccination.—The total of operations performed in various
dispensaries and hospitals during the year was 4,243 (primary 2,016 and
re-vaccination 2,227) as against 11,905 (primary 7,220 and re-vaccination 4,685)
last year. A very great decrease is thus noticed in the work performed by this
agency. As in the case of district vaccination work the degree of prevalence
of small-pox in the neighbourhood is a controlling factor in relation to the outturn
of vaccination work at dispensaries.
9. Vaccination in Fails.—In an average population of 14,978 in jails, 31,447
persons were compulsorily vaccinated. In 2,941 primary cases 1,894 or 64.40 per
cent. were found to be successful. Of the total number of 28,506 re-vaccinations
success is reported in 14,684 or 51.51 per cent.
10. Steamer Vaccination.—In the port of Rangoon 14,718 passengers
arriving by steamer from various Indian ports were vaccinated. The results of
these operations could not be verified.
11. Verification of Vaccination.—Of the total number of 674,483 persons who
underwent vaccination, Civil Surgeons verified 80,730 or 11.97 per cent.
These
included 52,809 or 10.92 per cent. of primary cases, and 27,921 or 14.62 per cent.
of re-vaccinations. Supervisors of Vaccination verified 221,752 cases or 45.86
per cent. of primary operations, and 64,737 or 33.90 per cent. of re-vaccinations.
The Civil Surgeons of Lower Chindwin, Tavoy and Meiktila Districts, respectively,
verified 51.56 per cent., 49.69 per cent., 37.93 per cent., of primary cases.
None of the vaccinations performed in the Myingyan District during the year
were inspected by the Civil Surgeon, and only a very small proportion of primary
cases were verified by the Civil Surgeons of the following districts—Akyab(2.78),
Kyaukpyu (0.39), Bassein (0.49), Mergui (1.39), Toungoo (2.87), Upper
Chindwin (1.70) and the Southern Shan States (1.16).
Much credit is due to the Supervisors in the Insein, Hanthawaddy, Sagaing and
Upper Chindwin Districts for inspecting between 85 and 92 per cent. of primary
operations. Other Supervisors who performed a large amount of inspection work
in relation to primary operations were those of the Akyab (72.33 per cent.),
Thayetmyo (79.05 per cent.), Meiktila (78.85 per cent.), Mergui (65.20 per
cent.) and Pegu Districts (65.10.) per cent.
12. Vaccine Depôt, Meiktila.—Major A. J. Symes, I.M.S., was in charge of
the Dep8t up to 24th June 1920, when he was relieved by Captain Aung Tun,