§ Dr. Hillasked the Minister of Health how many children annually contract diphtheria and how many die of it; how many hospital beds, on the average, are occupied by diphtheria cases; what is the total annual cost to the country; and 2028W whether it is accepted by his Department that the disease can be almost entirely abolished by preventive inoculation?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe average annual number of cases of diphtheria at all ages notified in England and Wales is about 60,000, and the number of children under 15 years of age included in this total may be estimated at 54,000. The average annual number of children under 15 years of age who died from diphtheria is about 2,700. The average number of hospital beds occupied at any one time by diphtheria cases may be roughly estimated at 5,000 and the annual cost of the hospital treatment at £1,000,000. As regards the last part of the Question, I am advised that experience in Canada and the United States of America shows that the disease can be almost entirely eliminated if the immunisation of children can be secured, and maintained on a sufficiently wide scale.
§ Dr. Hillasked the Minister of Health (1) whether, in view of the fact that children from one area are being freely moved to another, the necessary re-agents for preventive inoculation against diphtheria can now be provided as a national charge, instead of a charge on local authorities;
(2) whether, in view of widespread concern as to possible spread of infection in crowded shelters, his Department will reconsider its present policy and take more active steps to immunise the child population against diphtheria?
Mr. MacDonaldThe policy of my Department has been and is to encourage local authorities to provide facilities for immunisation against diphtheria, and to do their best to persuade parents to take advantage of these facilities for their children. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that the cost of the necessary material in present war conditions should be reimbursed to local authorities by the Exchequer. I am urging upon local authorities the special importance of these measures in the light of the considerations referred to in the Questions, and informing them of this concession.