How Pacific Islands Natives

Become Medical Practitioners.

Remarkable Success of Suva Central Medical School.

ONCE upon a time, to have pro pounded to an “old hand” of the Islands the idea of training natives as qualified medical practitioners, would have been equivalent to asking to be locked up as a lunatic. But, to-day, in Fiji, this is not only being done but is bringing excellent results.

The Central Medical School, Suva, provides a striking example of the way in which , natives of the Pacific Islands are rapidly absorbing the culture of the white races. Its aim is to train carefully a number of selected students as native medical practitioners in order that they may carry out medical and health work in their own group of islands, and thus not only bring medical help within the reach of their own countrymen, who are out of reach of other medical assistance; but also, by preventive measures, to raise the general standard of health throughout the Pacific.

A secondary, though important, aim of the school is to inculcate the spirit of friendly relationship and assistance between the various island races.

Residents of the Pacific Islands, or at least those under the administra tion of the Western Pacific Commis sion, have long owed a debt of grati tude to the instigators of the scheme.

In opening the school in December, 1928, Sir Eyre Hutson, then Governor of the Colony of Fiji, said: “The pro posal that the advantages of the Fiji Native Medical School which had for many years proved to be a successful

institution and of great benefit to the Colony, should be extended to the neighbouring territories in the Pacific and the doors of the school opened to students from those territories, had its origin some years ago with Dr.

Lambert, a member of the Medical Staff of the Rockefeller International Health Foundation. The idea and the scheme of a Central Native Medical School was whole-heartedly supported by Dr. Montague, Fiji’s highly esteemed and valued Chief Medical Officer. The Colony of Fiji, my pre decessor in office and the various administrations in the Pacific who have co-operated in the scheme, owe a deep debt of gratitude to Dr. Lam bert for his strong faith in the scheme and his able and persistent advocacy of the proposal with the governing body of the Rockefeller Foundation which happily resulted in a decision on their part to offer substantial and generous financial support."

The school stands in the grounds of the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, overlooking Suva. It is of concrete and provides a theatre for the teaching of anatomy; a laboratory for practical chemistry, physics and practical physiology; a lecture theatre, a museum and a library. The students quarters adjoin and consist of a two storey wooden building accommodating 28 students. Each student receives clothing and pocket money.

The library and museum are well equipped, many medical men having

presented medical works and the school has the hospital autopsy theatre to draw on for museum specimens.

The Central Medical School is under the direction of the Tutor, Mr. D. W.

Hoodless, and all instruction is given in English Last year there were 40 students at the school —the maximum number that could be accommodated. They are treated much as medical students the world over and not as school boys, every effort being made to inculcate a sense of responsibility and a proper feeling of self-reliance.

The students came from all parts of the Pacific—Fijians, Samoans, Ton gans, Cook Islanders, Gilbert Islanders, Ellice Islanders, Solomon Islanders, New Hebrideans and Indians from Fiji being counted among the number.

A perusal of the reports of the school since its beginning show that most of the students appear to regard medicine and surgery as a life-work, as most of them are successful in the examina tions which are held quarterly and annually. Very few natives have re signed or been dismissed as being un suitable for the study and practice of medicine.

Good reports of the work of the native medical practitioners—the stu dents who have graduated and are now practising—have come from many parts of the Pacific. The Governor of American Samoa has asked for co operation and that a student from the school be sent there and the Chief Medical Officer of the New Hebrides has high praise for a native prac titioner —a Fijian who volunteered for work in the Condominium.

The school has its own journal, “The Native Medical Practitioner,” and many of its articles on professional and tech nical subjects are contributed by graduates and students. Provision is made at the school for post-graduate courses; at the end of 1932, six graduates had taken courses at the War Memorial Hospital, Suva.

Owing to the generosity of Sir Murchison Fletcher, the students now have a sports fund which is contri buted to by the Administrations of the territories from which the students come.

Thirteen new students enrolled at the school for the four years’ course. They came from the Solomons, Tonga, Gil berts, Eastern Samoa, Western Samoa, Cook Islands and Fiji. Five students qualified as medical practitioners in December, 1932. Of these two went to Fiji, one to the New Hebrides, one to the Gilbert Islands and one to Samoa.