19. Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken in Tanganyika as a result of the investigations of Dr. Muir into leprosy five years ago; why the Chazi settlement has been closed and the Church Missionary Society's co-operation in the case of lepers in the Turiari district refused; and why the services of Dr. Wallace, a special in leprosy, could not be extended, as proposed by the Church Missionary Society, and thereby prevent lepers wandering about and infecting more villages.
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Colonel Oliver Stanley)As the answer is necessarily rather long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Colonel StanleyThe hon. Gentleman will find quite a long list of them.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Dr. Muir, C.I.E., M.D., Medical Secretary to the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association, visited Tanganyika in 1938. 1886 After his visit, it was agreed between the East African territories that a leprosy specialist for East Africa should be appointed, but no appointment has as yet been made, owing to war difficulties. A recent conference of Directors of Medical Services has raised the question again, and the Government of Tanganyika has expressed its willingness in the Legislative Council to appoint a whole-time specialist for Tanganyika, if a suitable man can be obtained.
§ The Government of Tanganyika also decided, as a result of Dr. Muir's visit, to establish two main leper settlements under Government operation. One of these has already been established in the Southern Highlands Province, for 1,100 patients, and it is intended to establish another settlement in the region of the central railway line. The Church Missionary Society's station at Makatupora was considered as a possible site, but offers inadequate opportunities for expansion, owing largely to the limited amount of fertile agricultural land in the immediate neighbourhood. The search for a suitable site is being continued.
§ The settlement at Chazi was established in 1941 by lay workers, paid by the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association, with the assistance of the native authorities. The site was discovered to be very malarious and too remote for effective medical supervision. It was therefore regarded as unsuitable for development as a Government station, and a decision was taken to close it. In view of the delay in finding a suitable site for a permanent Government station, however, the settlement at Chazi is being continued as a temporary measure. There are at present 14 leper settlements or camps in the country, maintained by Government or native authorities, and 15 by missions. Compulsory segregation is not in force; the Governor reports that it would, in any case, be impracticable, and modern practice is generally not in favour of wholesale segregation, especially where considerable numbers of non-infectious cases may be involved.
§ As regards the last part of the Question, it was suggested by the Church Missionary Society that Dr. Wallace, in addition to conducting the Society's settlement at Morogoro near Manyoni, should supervise both the settlement at Chazi and another settlement at Mkalama in North Singida. 1887 These places are respectively 230 and 115 miles from Morogoro, and the arrangement was not considered practicable. The Station at Mkalama has been handed over to the American Augustana Lutheran Mission, who are now supervising it in conjunction with the local native authority. Chazi remains, for the present, in charge of a lay worker. The station at Makatupara, which is assisted by Government funds and by free issues of food where necessary, remains in the charge of Dr. Wallace.