Chapter 270: Controlling the Mortality Rate
The labor shortage in the colonies was somewhat unexpected for Franz.
At first, he thought that with so many immigrants there would be enough manpower. But reality proved otherwise. Most of these immigrants were gold prospectors, and expecting them to work peacefully was quite a challenge.
Everyone dreamed of getting rich quickly, and it was difficult for them to settle down unless those dreams were shattered. Even if they did settle down, very few would be willing to work in the mines.
Franz was not concerned about the shortage of gold miners; that was the concern of the mine owners. He believed that these individuals could use their initiative to solve the problem. If all else failed, they could simply take their time with the mining operations.
The main purpose of the immigrants was to establish plantations and an agricultural economy in the region, providing raw materials and markets for domestic industry and commerce.
Prime Minister Felix said: Your Majesty, our immigration rate is already quite fast. The labor shortage in the colonies has already affected our plans to develop the African continent.
Germany is becoming overpopulated. Every year, a large number of bankrupt individuals choose to emigrate overseas, and a significant portion of them have to worry about travel expenses for immigration.
Many immigrants to the United States are required to sign labor contracts in advance, with the employer paying for the travel expenses. These contracts are usually unequal, and people sign them out of desperation.
If we promise to reimburse the round-trip ship fare, I believe many people would be willing to try their luck in Africa, and we should be able to retain a significant number of them.
Franz pondered and said, Increasing immigration is easy, but how can we control the mortality rate? Although we have strict health regulations, our implementation leaves a lot to be desired.
Currently, immigrants traveling to Africa experience an astonishingly high mortality rate of three percent within the first year due to diseases. This number is excessively high and must be brought down.
Were attracting immigrants to develop the African continent, and such a high mortality rate will undoubtedly dampen everyones enthusiasm for immigration.
The high mortality rate among immigrants in the colonies is largely attributed to deaths from accidents and disease, with disease being a major culprit.
These diseases include HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrhea, and malaria. As a result, Franz first convened medical experts to develop preventive measures.
Respiratory infections can easily be overlooked because this disease primarily affects the middle-aged and elderly. Since early immigrants tend to be young and strong, this problem can be ignored. After all, the average life expectancy in most countries is less than forty years.
Diarrhea was mainly due to poor nutrition. Special diets were formulated for this purpose, but for the time being, only the military and colonial officials could enjoy them. The government couldnt yet monitor the eating, drinking, and excretion of ordinary immigrants.
As for the carriers of the HIV/AIDS virus, they are among the local indigenous population. In theory, as long as intimate contact between immigrants and locals is prohibited, there should be no problem.
With the advent of the industrial age, quinine could be mass-produced after 1850, and the mortality rate from malaria had already dropped.
To reduce the spread of disease, items such as mosquito nets, mosquito repellents, insect repellents, and more were included in the logistical supplies. These were initially distributed free of charge to immigrants.
Theoretically, if immigrants strictly adhere to safety and hygiene regulations, the mortality rate from disease should not be so high. Since the current immigrants are mostly young and robust, their resistance is much stronger, and under normal circumstances, the mortality rate should not exceed one percent.
Dont just look at the two percentage difference; as the population base increases, this gap becomes more significant. If the immigrants are elderly or frail, the mortality rate could double.
Disease is only one factor in the overall mortality rate of immigrants, and other factors must be considered. For example, in addition to disease, another significant cause of death among gold prospectors is conflict with others outside. This is the second largest contributor to the mortality rate.
According to preliminary data compiled by the colonial government, the mortality rate for immigrants in the first year is as high as 5.8%. Such a high mortality rate leads directly to a negative natural population growth rate for the local immigrant population.
Other unexpected accidents will naturally decrease as the local situation stabilizes.
The high mortality rate due to disease must be addressed as a matter of urgency. If left unchecked, the colonys population will experience negative growth for an extended period of time, relying solely on incoming immigrants.
Could disease mortality be effectively controlled? The answer was yes.
This could be seen in the different mortality rates at different immigrant outposts.
In Neubruck, the first settlement, the mortality rate due to diseases has been controlled to 1.4%. However, in later-established colonial outposts in Ghana, the disease mortality rate is as high as 3.9%.
The main reason for this difference is that early immigration was government-directed, and everyone strictly adhered to safety and health regulations. In contrast, later immigration was spontaneous, and government regulation was not as effective.
If this situation is not corrected, the high mortality rate will undoubtedly cause panic and make it difficult to attract immigrants in the future.
Colonial Minister Josip Jelai explained: Your Majesty, the current immigrants come from different parts of the world and often traverse the jungles. The colonial government finds it difficult to monitor them effectively.
If we impose regulations that are too strict, it may lead some private colonial teams to choose to leave and settle in other countries outposts.
Franz said sternly, If they want to leave, let them leave. On our territory, they must abide by our rules.
Enact and strictly enforce safety regulations in all colonial outposts. Violators will be fined, and persistent offenders will be put out of business.
In any case, I dont care what methods the colonial government uses, but diseases must be controlled within certain limits.
Starting next year, the mortality rate due to diseases among immigrants must be limited to 2%.
If the seven nations reach a consensus in the negotiations, the annual immigrant mortality rate will also have to be kept below 4% next year.
Within three years, the annual mortality rate for immigrants must be suppressed to 3.5% or less. If they fail to do so, they can retire early.
The cabinet should expedite promotions and demotions based on the completion status in various regions. If they cant, replace them with a new batch of officials. We lack everything but capable officials!
If bureaucrats arent pressured, dont expect them to produce results. Franz didnt implement everything at once, but rather in stages over time.
At present, the mortality rate for immigrants in the colonial territories of Britain and France is mostly limited to 3%, except in the Gulf of Guinea, where the death rate is exceptionally high due to the search for gold.
If activities are limited to coastal areas, the targets set by Franz may be achievable, perhaps around 3%.
As for lower rates, Franz isnt overly optimistic. Its better to wait until the number of medical personnel increases and medical technology improves!
In an era without medical equipment, doctors rely primarily on experience and individual accumulation of knowledge. The training period for doctors is inevitably long.
Since Franz ascended to the throne, the Austrian government has intensified the training of medical professionals. The earliest students still have about a year before graduation.
To improve domestic medical conditions, short-term training was provided for local doctors, eliminating traditional bloodletting methods and introducing them to new medical knowledge.
However, attention to overseas colonial territories was limited. In this era, doctors were typically middle-class, and the government couldnt force them to go where they didnt want to go.
Currently, the government can only ensure that each colonial outpost has one hospital, typically staffed by two or three doctors along with a few apprentices.
The problem of insufficient medical personnel will take a few more years to solve. Starting next year, Austria will produce 12,000 new doctors a year, transitioning them from the campus to the healthcare system.
Taking into account the traditionally trained doctors through apprenticeship, Austria will have an additional 20,000 doctors each year, which will significantly alleviate the shortage of medical personnel.
In comparison, the training of nursing staff is much faster, with batches of 20,000 to 30,000 people trained every two to three years.
These people mainly serve as nurses. At a time when there is a severe shortage of doctors, they cannot diagnose diseases, but they can sell medicine based on patients symptoms.
Unfortunately, if you make a wrong diagnosis that leads to adverse consequences, it will just be considered bad luck. This era is known for its harsh realities, and medical conditions are only at this level.
Prime Minister Felix replied with determination, Yes, Your Majesty!
After a moments hesitation, he added, Your Majesty, since we aim to cultivate the safety and hygiene awareness of immigrants, why not start from our homeland?
In the past, we have only recommended that everyone follow safety and hygiene guidelines, but we have never enforced them. What if we now pass a law mandating their implementation among the civilian population?
As long as people develop good habits, they will naturally follow the rules when they arrive in the colonies.
Compared to the colonies, where enforcement is difficult due to high mobility, enacting legislation to promote safety and hygiene guidelines domestically is much more feasible.
Newspapers have been promoting these concepts for a long time, and the majority of people have already accepted the idea of safety and hygiene. However, accepting it and adhering to it are two different things.
Now, with mandatory legislation, it goes a step further in promoting these guidelines.
Very well, we need to improve the education on safety and hygiene in our country.
In Franzs view, this is a beneficial initiative for the nation and its people. If everyone adheres to safety and hygiene guidelines, it would go a long way in curbing the spread of disease.
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