TUBERCULAR CASES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 75, 23 May 1944, Page 5

TUBERCULAR CASES

QUESTION OF CONTROL

MAJOR MAORI PROBLEM

When Mr J. L. Burnett, chairman of the Whakatane County Council, asked' the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer last Tuesday evening if the Health Department was planning for the future, he broached l a subject which no donbt will take precedence over all others—the treatment and control of tuberculosis. The Minister replied that it was always the policy of the. department to make provision for future expansion, but it was very difficult to foresee just what would be the requirements of (individual communities. In some populations, the incidence of sickness was inexplicably high whilst in others there was a predominance of old people, as: in Thames. The rate of T.B. amongst the Maori race w r as very high, but this was partly due to their housing conditions which, unless grappled with by the State, would continue to be a menace to the health of. the Maori people. They would be definitely starting at the wrong end unless they sought, to correct some «f the appalling conditions which were now present. His Department was carefully going into this matter, and would see what could be done about it. Mr J. Creeke agreed most warmly with the Minister in his contentions regarding the housing conditions. He suggested that it could largely be overcome by the appontment of more district nurses who would follow up the 1 medical officer's instructions, and see to it that the Maoris carried out what they had been told to do. Mr L. Buddie: Is notification of T.B. compulsory? We know of cases where special"-shelters have been provided, and upon investigation, have found that the patient is either away sleeping Avith the other Maoris, or else has invited them all in to participate in the better housing arrangements. The Minister assured, the meeting that T.B. was notifiable' but he hoped that the Maoris would soon learn to bring forward their cases themselves, in the full faith and knowledge that they would receive the best treatment for t'heir ailment.