§ 50. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many people reside in Colombo and how many doctors are practising in the city?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIn 1933, the latest year for which figures are available, the estimated population of the municipality of Colombo was 294,420. According to the medical register for the same year the number of medical practitioners registered in Colombo was 182. I am not in a position to say what actual percentage of these doctors, or other practitioners registered outside Colombo, actually practise within the municipality.
§ 51. Mr. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many 1002 doctors are practising in Ceylon; how many of them confine their activities to the large cities; and what medical service, if any, is available for workers in the country areas?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe latest figures available show the number of medical practitioners registered in Ceylon as 811. The figures for Colombo were given in my reply to the hon. Member's preceding question. There is no other town of comparable size in the Island. In addition to private practitioners the authorised establishment of the government medical service is 351 medical officers and medical officers of health, and 683 apothecaries and sanitary inspectors, but it would be difficult to say precisely what proportion of these officers devote their services to country areas. In 1933, outside Colombo, there were 89 government and 84 estate hospitals; the number of hospital beds provided by government being approximately two per thousand of population. In addition 626 central and branch dispensaries and visiting stations were maintained by government and 727 dispensaries by estates.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that the comparative smallness of the number of doctors resident in the rural areas is more or less responsible for the heavy death-rate during the malaria outbreak, and will he therefore encourage steps to provide medical services for the outside areas?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIn reply to the first question, I should very much hesitate to express an opinion on an expert medical matter. With regard to the second part of the question, I am sure the hon. Member will appreciate the fact that under the Ceylon constitution the number of the medical service is primarily, indeed almost exclusively, a matter for them.
§ Sir W. DAVISONAre we to understand that the medical service is a transferred service to the new Government in Ceylon, and no longer a matter for the British Parliament? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that this may be largely the reason for the recent epidemic?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter of opinion.