BEDS WANTED FOR T.B. PATIENTS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 5, 1 October 1943, Page 4

BEDS WANTED FOR T.B. PATIENTS

Wellington Difficulty, POSSESSION OF SITE TO BE CLAIMED “YY’e are having the greatest difficulty in YVellington iu finding beds for those tuberculosis patients who need hospital treatment,” said the medical superintendent, Dr. J. Cairney, at last night’s meeting of the YVellington Hospital Board, when he reported on a recent conference at Palmerston North convened by the Health Department to discuss matters relating to tuberculosis. The normal bed state at the board's tuberculosis institution, Ewart Hospital, was 76, he said, but there were actually 186 patients iu hospital iu YY’elliugton. From this it would be realized that many such patients were being accommodated in portions of the building by no means suitable for the treatment of this type or disease. The erection of the board’s proposed tuberculosis institution was becoming urgent and the commencement of building should not be lung delayed. There was no doubt tlat even in present circumstances the r emand for beds for pulmonary tuberculotis cases was increasing In September. 1941, there were 157 such patients in the board’s own institution, and 79 in the virious sanatoria, making a total of 236. The position this month was 186 in Ewarl Hospital, 51. in the various sanatoria, aid 14 awaiting beds, a total of 251. It was evident at the conference that the medical officers of .the Health Department were convinced’ that there were still in the community tuberculosis patients who had yet to be traced and brought under treatment and that a determined effort in this matter of casefinding was to continue. From this viewpoint it' would appear that during the next few years the demand on hospital boards for the provision of beds for tuberculosis patients was like y to be steadily increased. On the other hand, there was no prospect whatever of any increase ia the number of beds likely to be available in the Pukeora 'gnd Otaki sanatoria for patients from the YY 7 dlington board’s district. Indeed, due to staffing difficulties and problems, of reconstruction, specially at Pukeora, the number of beds at both Pukeora and Otaki expected to be available for patients from this district for next year was 20, whereas at the moment the board had 35 patients in these two institutions. , The conference had confirmed him more strongly in the view that the board’s ‘policy for the establishment of one institution to deal with pulmonary tuberculosis in all its stages was the most satisfactory type of proposal, said Dr. Cairney. The board discussed securing possession of its selected site for a complete chest hospital, this area it present being occupied for military purposes. It was decided to make representations to ths Prime Minister. “Goodness knows why tuberculosis should increase in this healthy country with its abundance of iresh air and food,” said Mr. H. F. Toogood. Even if it meant considerable expenditure the position. should be overtaken and reduced.