Report of the Ministry of Health / Colony of Singapore.

  • Singapore. Ministry of Health.
Date:
[1957]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Ministry of Health / Colony of Singapore. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/294
    THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL SERVICES ON THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 1957 INTRODUCTION To: The Honourable Mr. A. J. Braga, M.L.A., Minister for Health, Singapore. Sir, ... . . — . I have the honour to submit a report on the state of the Medical and Health Services in Singapore for the year ended 31st December, 1957. GENERAL REVIEW 2. Government’s statement of policy on Malayanisation was published as a White Paper (Sessional Paper No. Cmd. 65 of 1956) in December 1956. The combined post of Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Health and the Director of Medical Services was Malayanised in March 1957. It was hoped that the remaining expatriate officers, particularly those holding the senior posts mentioned in the White Paper, would remain for the period of retention varying from 1 to 10 years. This has not been so. 3. Of the 13 posts listed in the White Paper and which on 1st January, 1957 were filled by expatriate officers, only 6 were occupied by expatriate officers at the end of the year and 3 of them had applied for permission to retire under the Malayanisation Scheme. 4. Dr. R. H. Bland, o.b.e., who from April 1954 to March 1957 was in direct charge of the Health Services as the Director of Medical Services and Permanent Secretary brought to bear his unique qualities of planning to the broad framework of the Medical Plan his predecessor. Dr. W. J. Vickers. c.m.g. had already formulated. Dr. Bland brought shape and form and indeed extension to it, so that today there exists for guidance a definitely staged programme of expansion which, if implemented in the course of the next 5 or 6 years, could be expected to overtake deficiencies and cater for the demands of a fast increasing population. While Dr. Bland served for a very short period of only 3 years, his admitted ability as an able administrator, has contributed much to our welfare. 5. As regards expatriate ancillary staff and nursing sisters, at the beginning of 1957, 9 expatriate Matrons and 33 Nursing Sisters were employed in the Medical Department. Of these 5 Matrons and 13 Sisters have retired under the Malayanisation Scheme. It is possible to replace a proportion of these officers by the promotion of locally trained nurses; but it is hardly possible to fill a good number of them in this manner. These promotions, however, reduce the number of the effective nursing strength. 6. Provision has already been made for expansion in hospitals and clinics in Singapore. It is estimated that local sources over the next three- years will be able to supply only one quarter of our requirements for medical