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All the surveys included in the above summary were open to the
general public.
Immunisation against infectious disease
The publicity campaign sponsored by the Ministry of Health in
connection with diphtheria prophylaxis was continued. In a circular
issued by the Ministry it was stated that since 1945 notifications had
fallen from over 18,000 in that year to a new low figure of 182
(provisional) for 1954. The Minister expresses the hope that authorities
will continue the campaign with renewed vigour during 1955 and that
particular efforts will be made in areas where there is a low percentage
of immunised children under five.
The number of children immunised throughout the country under
local authority arrangements (including those immunised by family
doctors) from the beginning of 1940 to 30 June, 1954, was 11,126,651.
During the first half of 1954, 305,552 children were immunised, of
whom 118,693 were under one year of age. The objective of the
campaign is still to secure immunisation of not less than 75 percent
of babies before their first birthday, the objective for 1955 being
490,500 children under one year. In 1951, only 28 percent of the number
of babies reaching the age of one year were immunised; in 1952 the
figure rose to 31 percent, slightly declining to 30.4 percent in 1953.
In the first half of 1954 it rose to 35.75 percent. The Minister points