WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION MONDIALE ORGAN I ZATION DE LA SANT~ REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU R~GIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL REGION/,L CQIvJ1.'lITTEE 5 September 1961 Twelfth Sessi on Wellington 31 August - 5 September 1961 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Agenda I tern 8 BRIEF REPORTS RECEIVED FROtvl GOVERNLvlENTS ON THE PROGRESS OF THEIR HEALTH ACTIVITIES Attached are brief reports received from the following governvents in the Region on the progress of their health activities~ *Australia Brunei Cambodia China (Taiwan) Fiji Hong Kong Japan Korea Malaya Netherlands New Guinea New Zealand North Borneo Philippines .~ ~arawak Terri tory of Papua and New Guinea Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Viet Nam *Only one copy is available. 1960-61. COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. ! .'.. - .e INTERIM REPORT BY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF HEALTH. COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. INTERIM REPORT 1ST JULY, 1960, to 30TH JUNE, 1961. The following report deals in broad outline with the actIvItIes of the major divisions, laboratories and research organizations of the Commonwealth Department of Health during the year ended 30th June, 1961. More detailed information and complete statistics will be furnished in the Director-General's report for the period, which is now in c<;mrse of preparation. An important change in the structure of the Department was involved in the decision, approved by Parliament in the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Act, 1961, to transfer control of the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories from the Department of Health to a Commission of five members, one of whom shall be the Director of the Laboratories. Arrangements for the transfer of control to the Commission were in hand when this report was being prepared. PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION. Food Additives and Food Standards.-Further incidental additives were approved for use in the confectionery industry and one colour was added to the list of Approved Food Colours. Work is continuing on the drafting of model standards for food. Committee in Preventive Medicine in General Practice.-This committee was originally the Committee in Preventive Medicine of the Australian College of General Practitioners. At the 50th meeting of the National Health and Medical Research Council, it was adopted as the Committee in Preventive Medicine in General Practice. This ensures that the Council will have a direct line of communication with the general practitioners and the connecting link will be the Director of the Public Health Division, who is convener of this committee. Medical Advertising.-The censorship of radio and television commercials for proprietary medicines was carried on within the terms of two sections of the Broadcasting and Television Act. A small percentage of scripts was rejected during the year, by reason of misleading claims. Co-operation of the advertising industry and manufacturers of products was a noteworthy feature in this work and no serious problem was encountered. Poisons Register.-Work has commenced on the preparation of a Poisons Register, on the lines of the Canadian Manual, and States are expected, in the near future, to set up Poison Control Centres. The Commonwealth Department of Health will act as a national clearing house for Poison Control Centres and will issue copies of the Register to States when work on its assembly is completed. Desiccated Coconut.-Dr. C. E. Cook, Director of the Public Health Division, visited Ceylon in April, 1961, and discussed standards required to be met by millers and shippers exporting desiccated coconut to Australia. The Ceylon Coconut Board has undertaken to ensure that all shipments of desiccated coconut to Australia are certified as having been bacteriologically checked and found to be free from pathogenic organisms, and that consignments will be branded to identify the mill of origin. Advertising of Proprietary Medicines.-The Fourth Draft of a proposed code has been circulated to industry and other interested organizations. An advisory committee has been formed, representative of industry, and the medical and dental professions, to bring the code to finality. The code will be considered at the 52nd meeting of the National Health and Medical Research Council. National Morbidity Survey.-A survey is being carried out by members of the Australian College of General Practitioners, in association with the Medical Statistics Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council. A trial project over a three-month period was completed on 30th April, 1961, during which the record card and documentation were tested. It is proposed to commence the survey proper on 1st February, 1962, in which approximately 100 doctors will record every sickness episode which they attend throughout a period of twelve months. Traffic Injury Research Committee.-At the request of the Public Health Committee the National Health and Medical Research Council set up a committee to investigate traffic accidents and injuries, and to prepare a form for the uniform recording of accident data. The first meeting was held on 26th-27th June, 1961. 8084/61.-2 4 Poliomyelitis.-One hundred and seventy-six cases of poliomyelitis were notified during the year and six others still await confirmation. There were 86. confirmed cases in 1959-60. Infectious Hepatitis.-Cases notified in 1959-60 numbered 6,148 and the total for 1960-61 was 12,847, representing a two-fold increase. There was no State in which the incidence could •• be said to be unduly high in comparison with other States and the increased prevalence of this disease was general throughout the country. Venereal Disease.-A conference on venereal disease held on 17th-19th August, 1960, was attended by representatives from all States. The incidence of both syphilis and gonorrhoea has been increasing in Australia in all States except Western Australia. The conference made recommendations to the National Health and Medical Research Council on notification and control measures. Measures to enlist the full co-operation of general practitioners in notification, surveillance, and the tracing of the source of infection were suggested. The importance of prompt diagnosis and sustained treatment was emphasized. MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL BENEFITS SCHEMES. ~' ... The basic features of the Medical and Hospital Benefits Schemes remained unchanged during 1 the year. Both schemes are based, in the main, on the principle of voluntary health insurance, with Government benefits being paid in a manner calculated to encourage participation by the public. Commonwealth Ordinary hospital benefit is payable in respect of patients in public and approved private hospitals in Australia. Commonwealth Additional hospital benefit and Commonwealth ... medical benefits are payable only to those persons who are contributors to registered hospital and ... medical benefit organizations. The benefits payable are- Ordinary hospital benefit: 8s. per day for each day of hospitalization in a public hospital or an approved private hospital; 12s. per day for each day of hospitalization in a public hospital (other than a State benevolent home) for patients enrolled in the Pensioner Medical Service and who are not insured with a registered hospital benefit organization. These amounts are paid direct to the States or to the private hospitals. Additional hospital benefit: 4s. per day to contributors who are insured for a Fund benefit of at least 6s. per day but less than 16s. per day; 12s. per day to contributors who are insured for a Fund benefit of at least 16s. per day. These amounts are paid through registered organizations. Commonwealth medical benefits: Benefits ranging from 6s. for minor services to £22 lOs. Od. for certain major operations. These amounts are paid through registered organizations. In addition to the Commonwealth benefits, the registered hospital and medical benefit organizations pay, subject to their rules, Fund benefits which vary according to the rate of contribution paid by the contributor. The National Health Act was amended during the year. The main amendments which affected the Medical and Hospital Benefit Schemes were as follows: (a) An amendment to Section 13 (1.) which assured the right of certain contributors to continue to receive Commonwealth medical benefits. (b) Section 16, which specifies the Commonwealth medical benefits payable in cases of multiple operations, was amended to provide for cases where three or more operations, attracting varying Commonwealth medical benefits, are performed. (c) Section 82E (1.) (i) was amended to liberalize the 100 per cent. limitation on hospital fund benefit payable to Special Account contributors. The Medical Benefits Scheme has continued to develop. Membership in this scheme at 30th June, 1961, was 2,850,000 covering 7,173,000 members and their families, or 68 per cent. of the population. This compares with a coverage of only 39 per cent. of the popUlation at 30th June, 1954, which was the end of the first full year of operation of the scheme. Additionally a large section of the community is substantially protected by the Pensioner Medical Service, Repatriation benefits and other provisions. Membership of the Hospital Benefit Scheme at 30th June, 1961, was 3,044,000, covering 7,500,000 members and their families, 72 per cent. of the population. This percentage at 30th June, 1953, was 39. ...- J The Special Account system, which was introduced from 1st January, 1959, continued to operate during the year and is proving to be very beneficial, particularly in the case of hospital benefits.