Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies haw many village dispensaries and maternity centres for the use of natives are now in existence in the protectorate of Uganda; how many trained native midwives are now on the roll in that protectorate; how many are trained annually by the Government, the Church Missionary Society, and the Third Order of St. Francis, re- 1002W spectively, in Uganda; and whether he proposes to suggest to the Government of Kenya that they should establish a scheme similar to that in Uganda for the provision of trained native midwives for the natives of Kenya?
§ Dr. SHIELSThe latest information available in the Colonial Office relates to the year 1928. There were then 56 district sub-dispensaries in the Uganda Protectorate in addition to 24 native hospitals at which dispensary treatment could be obtained and 41 maternity centres. Four new maternity centres were in course of construction. There were 93 native midwives on the official midwives roll on 1st January, 1929. In 1928 the average number of student midwives in training by the Church Missionary Society was 24 and 15 passed the qualifying examination during the year. At the Mill Hill Mission, where the sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis work, the average number of students was 21 and three natives qualified. The Protectorate Government contributes annual grants to missions for the maintenance of midwifery centres and midwives. As regards the last part of the question, steps have already been taken in the matter in Kenya by the Government and by voluntary effort. At the end of 1928 there was a number of child welfare clinics in operation in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, and additional centres were to be opened in Mombasa this year. The Lady Grigg Child Welfare League has maternity homes and child welfare centres in Nairobi and Mombasa, The training in midwifery of Indian and native women is undertaken at these centres.