Health Measures In

Rarotonga

TB and Filaria Pressing Problems

Fioxn Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, March 25.

IN spite of all efforts to combat it, tuberculosis still has the upper hand in Rarotonga. The incidence of this disease shows a steady climb over the last 10 years. At the same time, much good work has been done.

On the other hand, a study of the records of the splendid Child Welfare Movement show that during the same 10-year period infant mortality has been considerably reduced and the general health of children much improved.

The Child Welfare Association works two ways: By direct supervision of the children from birth to school age by means of the divisional nurses and inspectors (all voluntary workers); and by the education of the parents. During the school years there is an official check on the health of developing children.

There comes, however, an “uncontrolled’’ period in which a certain proportion of the young people “walk the roads” (and join the “bush beer” gangs) and during this period there is an increased spread of contagious diseases.

Filaria is another immediate problem.

Doctors Dawson and Ellison are at pre sent engagecTin an intensive study of the disease and their findings to date disclose the dismal fact that few if any native or European inhabitants of Rarotonga are free of this cursed parasite. Specimens taken from the navel of infants imme diately after birth prove that the ( disease is actually hereditary, in some cases at least. Children only a few months old have developed typical filarial swellings.

During the last few years a number of Europeans have been forced to relinquish their posts in Rarotonga due to filarial infections.

A 'voluntary organisation to aid the already overworked medical staff in a campaign against filariasis has been pro posed. Probably the Fiji Mosquito Con trol Organisation will be contacted and asked for advice.

Yet another disease causing concern is a peculiar “rat-disease” which has re sulted in a number of recent deaths. This sickness has been traced to a germ car ried in the fur and mouths of rats.

Another obvious necessity is to teach the natives to take greater care to pro tect the food in their homes from con tact with rats, cockroaches and flies.

BETTER health services for the Pacific Islands is one of the promises for the future, but an important step in improving the health of Islands people is to educate them in the necessity of helping themselves—no easy task with native peoples so reluctant to accept “new-fangled ideas” in matters closely connected with age-old superstitions.