View report page

VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Section 26
Vaccination
The percentage of children under one year of age vaccinated in 1954
was 48%. This is still better than the 1947 figure (41%) when vaccination
was compulsory, but slightly lower than the figure for 1953 (51%). It
is hoped that this slight fall, which is probably associated with the falling
birth-rate will, prove to be temporary.
The following table records the number of persons known to have
been vaccinated or re-vaccinated during 1954, by general practitioners
and clinic medical officers:—

Immunisation against Diphtheria and Whooping Cough
Immunisation of Children under 1 year of age
As mentioned in my last Annual Report, a new policy was implemented
in May 1953, with the aim of securing the immunisation of at least
75% of babies before the end of the first year of life. This is all the more
important as, for the first time in nine years, a death occurred in a child
of eleven in this Area who had never been immunised.
The new policy has met with some success as shown by the following
figures:—
Immunisation of Children under 1
Period No. of Children who received a
full course of immunisation
January to June 1953 492
July to December 1953 854
January to June 1954 875
July to December 1954 892
The increase in the number of children under 1 year of age immunised
has been achieved in spite of a falling birth-rate and the above figures
translated into percentages of the estimated child population under
1 year of age are shown in the following table:—
Period %
January to June 1953 31.6
July to December 1953 54.9
January to June 1954 59.5
July to December 1954 60.7
It will be noted that we are still some way from achieving the desired
figure of 75% and continuing efforts are being made towards this end.
In an attempt to establish the reasons why some children are not
84