29. Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the Gold Coast Medical Department Report for 1935, which records a grave increase in the infantile and ordinary death rate; whether he is aware that a set-back to the health of the people has been experienced because of the immigration of under-nourished and diseased natives from neighbouring territories, the low standards of hygiene in rural and mining areas, and the increased facilities for the dissemination of disease and malnutrition; whether he will give his careful attention to this problem, particularly that aspect of it relating to immigrants and the necessity of a mobile medical unit for use among the immigrants?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third part, it will be clear to the hon. Member from the report to which he refers, that the situation is engaging the close attention of the Governor of the Gold Coast and his medical advisers, who are giving particular consideration to the problems connected with immigration and mine labour. A mobile unit was employed a few years ago in the Gold Coast on an experimental footing, and though it did 1588 useful work, the conclusion was reached that the funds available could be more usefully spent in other directions such as the opening up of medical stations.
30. Mr. Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any recent inquiries have been made into the health conditions of Africans who are, or have been, working in connection with mining developments on the Gold Coast; and whether he has any statistics as to the incidence of silicosis or tuberculosis?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreAn inquiry into health conditions in the mining areas of the Gold Coast was carried out in 1935 by the Deputy-Director of Health Services, and in that year new regulations were issued governing the sanitary control of mining and mining health areas, including the medical inspection and housing of labourers and various other matters. Silicosis could only be contracted in a very few of the mines, and no statistics are at present available as to the incidence of silicosis and tuberculosis in the mining areas; but I can assure the hon. Member that the Governor of the Gold Coast is fully alive to the importance of this question and has under consideration measures for its investigation, and I have asked him to consider the engagement for this purpose of an additional medical officer, with special experience of tuberculosis.