4
RESOLUTION ON THE TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1896-97-1898-99.
The ratio of success is still low ; with a vaccine establishment near at hand, the
results are unsatisfactory. The figures for the Northern Shan States are more
encouraging. The average annual number of vaccinations for the preceding period
was only 586; in 1898-99 it was 2,975. The ratio of success, though low, has
risen considerably, and the average outturn of work of the vaccinators is nearly
double what it was in the previous period.
Vaccination in Rangoon.
8. The returns for the Rangoon Municipality are far from satisfactory. The
only improvement has been in the percentage of
successful cases, and these figures the Superintend-
ent-General regards as untrustworthy. Though the establishment has remained
the same, there has been a decrease in the number of vaccinations from 35,401 in
1895-96 to 11,832 in 1898-99. The illegal practice of forcibly compelling coolies
to be vaccinated was put a stop to in August 1896; this may account to a certain
extent for the decrease, but not altogether. A very large number of children
have escaped vaccination, and the percentage of protection is consequently low.
Considering the strength of the establishment at the Municipal Health Officer's
disposal and the facilities he enjoys for putting the Act into force, the results for
the past three years appear to His Honour to be disappointing.
Verification of results.
9. There has been an improvement during the past three years in Lower
Burma in the percentage of cases inspected by Civil
Surgeons to the total number of persons vaccinated.
During the previous triennium the percentage averaged 14.79 and in the period
under review 17.14. In Upper Burma the figures are respectively 33.31 and 32.54.
Inspection is still less thorough in Lower Burma than in Upper Burma.
The decrease in the work of the Native Superintendents is an unsatisfactory
feature of the report. District Superintendents are requested to see that there is
no further cause of complaint against these men.
Financial.
10. The total cost of the Vaccination Department has risen from Rs. 59,511
in 1893-94 to Rs. 69,675 in 1898-99. The average
annual cost for the preceding three years was Rs.
53,912, while that for the triennium under review was Rs. 66,873. The average
cost of each operation has considerably declined, as the following table will show:—
Average for the
triennium.
1893-94
...
...
1894-95
...
...
1895-96 ... ...
1896-97
...
...
1897-98 ... ...
1898-99 ... ...
Rs.
0
0
0
0
0
0
A.
3
3
3
2
2
2
P.
5 3
0
9
9 7
Rs.
0
0
A.
3
2
P.
3
8
The cost of each case varies very considerably in different municipal towns.
During the triennium under review it was highest in Bhamo (Rs. 0-7-0), Mônywa
(Rs. 0-7-0), and Rangoon (Rs. 0-6-10), and lowest in Thatôn (Rs. 0-1-0) and
Sagaing (Rs. 0-1-5). Of the districts exclusive of municipal towns, it was highest
in Myitkyina (Rs. 0-8-6), Northern Shan States (Rs. 0-6-4), and Akyab (Rs.
0-6-1), and lowest in Shwebo (Rs. 0-1-2) and Sandoway (Rs. 0-1-1). In the
majority of towns and districts it is satisfactory to note that there has been
a steady decrease in the average cost from year to year. The cost of each opera-
tion must necessarily vary largely in different districts owing to the density of