PUBLIC HEALTH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 181, 20 April 1918, Page 9

PUBLIC HEALTH

DEPARTMENTAL REORGANISATION

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

.. 'A, statement on tho reorganisation of the Public Keaitk Department was made ■or the Minister ia Charge (the Hon. G. .if*/. Russell) yesterday. "Coqseqnenc. en Ins transfer -of Dr. Walintine from the Pnolic Hesitli 3j». ipartmont to tiie Drience Department," usaid Mr. 'Itussoii, "it , has hew deienuin■ed that. ihe -.Public Eealtli Department -shall be divided into two sections—profossional ana say. For eomo time past it has been evident that through tho head office being overweighted with routino work ■which can very properly be attended to by lay officers, tho Departiiient has not been able to exercise .its ftnll strength on the professional sido. itt has therefore been, raalved that this tsepavatioi: shall lake place. An officer rwul bo.appointed who uill act as secrertary to the Department, and on him will :r«st responsibility for all routine and financial wort. ])r. Frengley will rs(mme full control of the professional i work of the Dopartnient. The same -will be Vilowod in connection rath tho district health offices, the work of which will bp divided between the I health officer, who will attend to ! the medical and professional sido, and the chief sanitary inspector, who will be. iesponsible for: tka routine wort of tho ■office. .

One of tho leading officers of tlio -.Department, in addition to Dr. Vnlin•tino, is associated with the Defence .Department, and as the Public Health Department cannot Afford to- loso tho services of. two of its officers, this other officer, who is Dr. R. H. Makgill, will bo asked to rejoin the Public Health Service. . •

'It Tias been evident for some time 3>ast that the present • health districts we far too larra. There are only four covering tho wnole Dominion. As iho secondary towns and cities of tho Dominion have grown into importance, it mas becomo moro neceesarr to establish health officers at them instead of enly sanitary inspectors. One of the difficulihes has beeu to obtain medical men holdring tho diploma of public health. In encourage young man to join :tne Public Health Service, eix bursaries ■were given last year to students at the 'Utago Medical School who in their final year. Some of tirau have, with •the consent of the Minister of Public Health, joined the military forces for 'the period of the. war, but after they iave completed their service with the Defence Department, they will return to -the Public Health. Department, and take ■up the positions of assistant house !-urigeons in hospitals, a.nd thero complete ;theu\ training for their profession. I ■nope that eome of thorn may be induced ;to join the Public Health Services permanently. This year eight bursaries •were given on the same lines, and the tpohcy o£ the Department will be to encourage young medical students to 'take the public health diploma, and then to establish other health districts by cutting up tho very large districts which ao^i-exist.'

"The longer I am in office, the more iapparent becomes to me the necessity for ihe development of the public health Tvork of tho.Governmsnt. A great aeal Jias been accomplished in recent years by organising the Department, and the .■work must proceed if the infant mortality rate is to be kept at its present low level; and the health of the population generally is to bo assured."