Status of infant deaths in Osaka
compared with the national status
Source: Public Health Nurse Journal,
Vol. 37, No. 4, 1981, information
from “Osaka District Statistics”

The work of the first Child Health Center in Japan, opened by the first president Ohga with the wish to reduce early childhood mortality with his private funds, was not smooth sailing.

Ohga Child Health Center had one physician from Japan Red Cross Society Osaka Hospital and two public health nurses, rather than hospital nurses. The reason for this staffing that was the high early childhood mortality at that time was not caused by diseases, but a considerable portion was attributed to malnutrition, mothers’ lack of knowledge of early childhood health, and poverty at home. The Child Health Center did not treat diseases. Its principle purpose was to manage health of mothers and young children and to promote knowledge on child care and health.

Although the center had a clear purpose, people could not immediately understand the center’s role because it was a groundbreaking attempt at that time. There were many difficulties soon after opening, because the majority of visitors wanted to have their illnesses treated. Occasionally a very sick patient was brought in, and the public health nurse had trouble handling such cases. There is a record made by a public health nurse stating that visiting homes for their primary purpose of health teaching was often not welcomed. Ohga always encouraged the staff, who otherwise would have lost morale, and continued to endeavor for a lower early childhood mortality. Their efforts were finally recognized by the public, resulted in tangible outcomes such as a reduction of early childhood mortality to 120 by 1932.