PUBLIC HFALTH CONFERENCE AND STUDI TOUR Sponsored by the :,t WORLD HEAIa'H ORGANIZATION REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC I in Collaboration with THE GOVEIUftIENl'S OF SINGAPORE AND THE FEDERATION OF MAlAYA SINGAPORE 21-25 August 1960 FEDERATION OF MAlAYA 25 August - 2 September 1960 FINAL REfORT World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional. Of'fice Manila, .Philippines September 1960 CONTENrS PART I 1. GENERAL DESCRIPl'ION OF THE CONFERENCE AND STUDY TOlR • •• 1 1.1 (lroigin ••••••.•••••••.••••••••••• "" " ••••••••• "" • 1 1.2 Preliminary Planning and OVerall Responsibility •• 1 2. .... " .. " ." ... " ... " " " " ... " .. " .. " ... " " ." ..... 1 ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION •••••••••••••••••••••••• 2 3.1 Location of the Conference and Study Tour ." ." ... 2 3.2 Facilities and Services Provided by the Host Governments 2 .... " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 3.3 Language 2 " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " . THE CONFERENCE AND STtIDy TOUR .PROGlWtlE AND PROCEDURE •• 2 t Opening CeremOll¥ 2 4.1 " " " " " " " " " " " " . " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 4.2 Background Information •.•••••••••••••••••••.•••• 2 -- 4.3 Working .PJ:-ocedtlre " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 2 PART n 3 ." ." " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "" " " " " " " " " " " " PART nI 1 LIST OF "PARTICIPANTS ." " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 55 n ITINERARY " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "" 58 In LIST OF INSTITUTIONS AND PROJECTS VISITED ••••••• 65 •\ -i- CONTENTS ANNEXES (cont Id.) It IV ADDBESS OF MJNISTER OF HEALTH, STATE OF smGAFORE, AT OPENmG CEREMONY •••••••••••••••••• 68 v ADDRESS OF DR. L. FLORIO, IEADER OF THE GROUP ••• VI RERlRT BY DR. C. MARCUS, DlRECTOR OF NE:DICAL SERVICES, SmGAFORE, ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEVEI£)1?!(ENT IN SINGAPORE •••••• ,,""""""""""""""""" 70 vn ADDRESS OF MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SOOIAL WELFARE, FEDERATION OF MlIAYA,AT OFENmG CEREMONY •••••••• 77 VIII OPENmG ADDRESS OF DR. TEN YOON FONG, CO-LEADER •• 79 ]X ADDRESS OF HIS HIGHNESS THE SULTAN OF KEDAH 81 ." " " . X REMARKS BY DR. K. KANAGARATNAM, co-r.EADER, AT CIDSmG SESSIQ{ " " " " " " " " " " "" " " "" " " " " " " " " " "" "" 83 XI SUMMARY OF S5EX:H OF 'l1iE MINISTER OF REAL'm AND SOCrAL WELFARE, FEDERATION OF MA.IAYA., AT THE ClDS ING CEREMONY " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 84 XII REPORT BY THE T.FAPER OF THE GROUP, DR. L. FLORIO. 85 -ii- aRT I 1. GENERAL DESCRIPrION OF THE CONFERE~E AND STtIDY Tom 1.1 Origin The WHO Regional Committee for the Western Facific at its ninth session and the Twelfth World Health Assemb~ approved the organization of a pub1ic­ health conference and stUC\Y tour in 1960. The description ot this project was: 11 • • • • • • • • • • •• to inTite senior health administrators frau ~mber States represented on the Regional COmmittee, and from their territories, to participate in a public-health conference and study tour in 1960, covering two countries and lasting about fourteen clqs. Such a conference and study tour should encourage local health workers to evaluate their progress and stimulate interest in health among local officials and the general population".l 1.2 Preliminary .P.l.anning and CNerall Responsibility Operational responsibility tor the conference and study tour was Tested in the Regional Public-Health Administrator (Dr. C. Y. Shu) at the WHO Regional Office tor the Western Pacific. A preparatory committee was established at the Regional Office consisting of two Public-Health Admiidstrators, the Education and Training Adviser, two Administration and Finance Officers, the Administrative Services Officer, and the tranalator. This cammittee worked closely with Dr. W. W. Yung, Area Representative, Singapore. 2. PARTICIPANTS lhvitations were sent to all countries and territories in the Western Pacific Region and seventeen participants were nominated. The Host Governments each nominated two participants. (For full list see Annex I). At a meeting held in Manila 011 Friday, 19 August, the group elected Dr. IJ.oyd Florio (thited states of America), as the leader of the group and Dr. C. Marcus (Singapore). and Dr. Ten Yoon Fong (Federation ot ~a) as co-leaders. Later, in the Federation of Malaya, Dr. K. KanagaratD8Jll (Singapore) acted as a co-leader in place of Dr. Marcus. The leader designated Dr. Dickie (Sarawale), Dr. Kranendonk {Netberlands New Guinea}, Dr. re-cuu Truong (Viet Ham) and Dr. Nolasco (HlUippines) as rapporteurs. Dr. van de Linde (Hong Kong) was later designated as the tifth rapporteur. ~ • 1 Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org. 89, 2lf7 - 2 - 3. ORGANIZATION AND ADlffiUSTRATION 3.1 Location of the Conference and Study Tour The conference and stuqy tour took place in Singapore and the Federation of Mal8¥a. (See Annex II for detailed itinerar,y) 3.2 Facilities and Services Provided by the Host Governments The Governments of the State of Singapore and of the Federation of Malaya graciously agreed to be the hosts. They provided conference space, clerical assistance, transportation within cities and arranged for the visits made by the group to institutions and projects. A list of the centres visited appears in Annex III. 3.3 Language English and French were used during the conference and stud,y tour. 4. THE COOFERENCE AND STUDY TOtE. HtOGRAMME AND PROCEDURE 4.1 Opening Ceremony The conference and study tour was opened in Singapore on J'.bnd8¥, ;. 22 August, by the Minister for Health, Inche Ahmad bin IbrahimJ in Kuala Lumpur Federation of Mal8¥a on Frid8¥, 26 August by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Honourable Ong Yoke Lin; and in JUra, Federation of Mal.8¥a on Monday, 29 August by His Highness, the Sultan of Kedah. It was closed in Kuala IAunpur, Federation of Malaya on Friday, 2 Sept.ember by the Minister of Health and Social. Welfare, the Honourable Ong Yoke Lin. 4.2 Background Information The institutions and projects visited, including the lJHO Epidemiological Intelligence Station in Singapore and the WHO-assisted projeots in both Singapore and the Federation of Mal8¥a, all provided background information 10 advance. These were translated or extracted into French. In addition, other literature was distributed during the visit. 4.3 WOrking Procedure The group upon arrival at an institution or project was received by the officer-in-charge and his assistants who conducted the participants on a tour of the establishment. At the end of the visit or at the end of the d8¥, additional information was supplied and views exchanged during the discussions. The rapporteurs were responsible for the record. ." - 3 - PART n MPFORTEURS' REPORTS 1. 22 August 1960, Singapore 1.1 Opening Meeting The opening meeting of the Public Health Conference and stud,y Tour organized by the Ministry of Health, Singapore, was held in the Conference Hall in the Institute of Pathology at 9 a.m. The Minister for Health, Inche Ahmad bin Ibrahim honoured the meeting by delivering the arficial opening address. In his speech the Minister 1I81comed the participants fran fifteen countries and territories in the Western Pacific Region and said that it was a privilege to act as host to them. He said that a heavy programme of visits to medical institutions, and discussions had been arranged, and he hoped that the oorticiiJ.W1.. s w.)uld bA given an idea of the medical and health developnentsin Singapore. lie gave a brief account of the health problems in the State - tuberculosis, ete. and the preventive measures being planned to canbat them. Curative services and the training programme were also specially mentioned. He paid tribute to the help received fran the World Health Organization, especially in the field of nurse training and the postgraduate training of' doctors for the Diploma in Public Health. He stressed the fact that his GDrernment intended to press ahead with the training of local doctors and tile improvement of the standards of medical education. But until sufficient J.ocal doctors become available, his Government intended to recruit doctors from Japan, Israel and Commonwealth Countries, to allow the medical services to develop, and to allow local doctors to get post-graduate training abroad. (See Annex [fY for full text) The Director of Medical Services, Dr. C. Marcus, then presented a report on the developnent of the medical and health services since their inception. He outlined the history of the developnent of Western medicine since tb! nineteenth century. The growth of' the Ministry of Heal th, the integration of the City Council Medical Service, and the DepartDe nt of Chemistry into the Ministry, were also explained. Dr. Marcus gave the meeting interesting statisti~al facts about the existing facilities - curative and preventive and about the training facilities available in Singapore for doctors, nurses, midwives and other auxiliary medical staff. He touched on the hospital facilities available for general medical and surgical work, for maternal and child welfare work, for obstetrics and gynaecOlogy and for specialised diseases such as tuberculosis. The campa:l.gn against tuberculosis which is being planned, with the help of Colombo Plan aid from Australian experts was outlined by the Director and the work done by the Singapore Anti-Tuberculosis Association (SATA) was also mentioned. Leprosy was also receiving attention, and the treatment of patients suffering from mental disorders, in Woodbridge Hospital, and in psychiatric out-patient clinics, was