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is well run; but to provide a complete service it must be intimately linked with, a larger specialized hospital. It must make reasonable provision for nursing. Such hospitals should be subject to Government inspection. 9. Where local conditions make the establishement of such factory hospitals practicable or desirable, and where no public facilities exist within easy reach in an adequate or suitable form, the following provision is recommended as the minimum desirable : {a) For any factory employing, say, 500 persons, an out-door dispensary; (b) Where the number is approximately 10,000, either in one factory or in a group of adjacent factories, there should be, in addition, a hospital providing in-door and out-door treatment, and maternity facilities, including antenatal and post-natal care and child welfare ; (c) In all industrial undertakings there should be provision for periodical compulsory medical examination of workers and for personal preventive measures against malaria, small-pox, cholera, typhoid, &c. 10. Private medical practice at the present time has an important place in the urban areas, but its usefulness in a scheme for the medical care of an industrial population is very restricted. Under any social insurance or contributory medical care scheme the services of a " panel doctor," unless they are fully backed by a hospital, laboratoryand public health service, are likely to give a minimal value for the expenditure involved. 11. Maternity Benefit. —This is a question which has been specially referred to this Committee. The duration of maternity leave with pay which has been recommended, in proposals submitted to the Social Security Committee, is six weeks before and six weeks after confinement. We would point out that there should be, and in the nature of things there will be, considerable variations in the length of time before and after confinement. Variation must be allowed for also in dealing with women of different races and customs, and according to the type of work they have to do. In some places a total of three months abstinence from work is often longer than is strictly necessary. In considering the period of benefit after confinement it must be remembered that from the point of view of the infant's chance of survival, the longer that period can be, the better. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of costs, the rate of benefit or sick-pay must be considered, as well as the duration. Two months' benefit on full pay costs the employer or the fund the same as three months on two-thirds pay, and in some cases the shorter period with the higher pay may be better for the mother. Some women, because of their poor physique or because of the nature of their work, would require a longer period. Others, who are robust, will suffer no harm if the time is shortened. From a medical point of view under the conditions at present prevailing in Asia a fair average period is two months' benefit, but there must be provision to extend this by at least another month where the women's health is unsatisfactory. The medical representatives of the workers' members and of the Government of India recommend a total period of three months. 12. Staff. —It must be remembered that any schemes for expanding medical services will require more staff, doctors, sanitary inspectors, technical and hospital assistants, nurses, and midwives. The more well-trained assistants a doctor has, within reasonable limits, the more can he devote his time to skilled professional work. All this staff has to be trained ; the training takes several years and requires adequate training schools. The first step is to ensure now that these training facilities are available. Particular importance should be given to the training of women doctors and to qualified midwives. 13. This note is intended to be an indication of the main lines of the medical aspect of some of the problems of social security. More detailed studies can be. found in the Bhore report (Government of India Press, 1946), the Official Bulletin of the 1.L.0. of Ist June, 1944, and in Report I of this Conference. No attempt has been made to go into questions of detail. These details must vary with local conditions and can best be dealt with locallv.
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