Triennial report on vaccination in Assam.

  • Assam (India)
Date:
[1914]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Triennial report on vaccination in Assam. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/28 (page 2)
    The successful percentages in primary vaccinations and ra-vaceinations in the case of vaocinators were 98*17 and 78*11, respectively, in 1918-14, against 97*92 and 73*01, respectively, in 1912-13 and 98*19 and 80*28, respectively, in 1911-12. In the case of the dispensary staff the percentages of success were in 1913-14, 93*26 and 88*47, respectively, against 98*20 and 75*41, respectively, in 1912-13 and 97*54 and 94*87, respectively, in 1 11-12 ; and in the c; sa of other agencies 9717 and 71*89, respectively, in 1913-14, against 97 46 and 84*49, respectively, in 1912-13, and 97*28 and 83*33, respectively, in 1911-12 Persons successfully vaccinated per 1,000 of population during the year 1913-14 were 45*59, against 44*57 in 1912-13 and 41*85 in 1911-12. I am unable to accept the 100 per cent, of success in re-vaccination operations reported from, certain districts. tion. 7. During the triennium alt vaccinations were performed with glycerinated lymph manufactured by the Vaccine Depot at Shillong. Different methods of vaceina- 8. The subjoined table gives an idea of the progress male in vaccination in the districts of Assam year by year. By comparing the work Vaccination work in different of the triennium under review with that of the previous districts. i • • jr* jj ii j j i • • • i i triennium we find that, there was an increase m eight districts and a decrease in four. The increase (1,22, / 41) is most marked in Sylhet, in which a steady increase has been maintained since 1911-12. As remarked in the report in 1912-13 small-pox broke out in the subdivisions of Habiganj, Sunamganj and North Sylhet in this district and a large number of operations were performed in that year. The Civil Surgeon made an experiment to work the district with licensed vaccinators and 11 licenses were issued, but as the experiment was not successful, licensed vaccinators will not be appointed in Sylhet in future. The reasons for the lack of success of this agency appear to he that much difficulty is experienced by vaccinators in realizing fees from the people. The Civil Surgeon in his report acknowledges with appreciation the assistance received from the district executive in combating popular opposition to vaccination. The next highest increase (36,077) is reported in the district of Kamrup. The “Mahapurushias” of this district on religious grounds to accept vaccination, but their prejudice is being slowly overcome. 29,687 of them have been vaccinated during the triennium under review against 4,013 in the previous triennium. The Civil Surgeon remarks that personal influence is of great value in overcoming this opposition. Npwgong reports an increase of 9,615 operations. The attention of the district authorities was drawn to the very unsatisfactory state of vaccination in this district last year: 8 additional vaccinators were sanctioned by the Local Board and 13,380 operations were performed in 1913-14, which is the highest in record for the last 15 years. This very satisfactory increase is due to the efforts of the Civil Surgeon, Lieutenant Charles Bancroft, energetically supported by the district executive authorities under the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. J. A. Dawson, i.e.s. Cachar follows with an increase of 7,709 operations. Bai Sahib Behari Lai Dhar, Deputy Inspector of Schools, rendered very considerable help to the Civil Surgeon in pushing on vaccination in his district. The increase of 5,946 operations in the Garo Hills is satisfactory. The number of operations performed in 1913-14 is reported to have been double that of 1912-13. The figures are obviously so large for this small and sparsely populated district that I am not satisfied as to their correctness, and I am enquiring into the matter. If accepted as correct they mean that in a district well known for its want of communi¬ cations and with a density of population, of 50 persons per square mile the average number of operations performed by each vaccinator was 4,000, as against the Sylhet district with a density of 458 persons per square mile and an average of 1,444 operations for each vaccinator. The Civil Surgeon reports that people were under the impression that a single vaccination in infancy is sufficient protection for life, but when it was explained to them that vaccination to be effective must be repeated every 6 or 7 years, a large number of re-vaccinations were performed. The Civil Surgeon of Darrang remarks that vaccination is T3rogressing slowly and he believes that the people now understand its benefit. The prejudices of the Miri sect who were formerly opposed to vaccination are now being overcome. A decrease of 6,699 operations in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills district during the triennium as compared with the number of the previous triennium is partly due to the abnormal activity displayed in 1908-09 ; but in view of the fact that the vaccinating staff was strengthened by 5 additional permanent vaccinators and one additional Sub-Inspector of Vaccination in October 1911, more activity should have been displayed. The decrease of 7,223 operations in the district of Sibsagar during the triennium is said C