SPC Health Expert to Tour S-E Pacific

Tour S-E Pacific

DR. E. MASSAL, Member for Health, South Pacific Commission Research Council, left Noumea on June 15 for a 21 months’ survey tour in the S-E Pacific.

Following a week in Suva. Fiji, he will fly to Tahiti on June 23. He will leave Tahiti by the end of July, stop in the Samoas for about four weeks and pos sibly make a short visit to Rarotonga.

He will make arrangements for carry ing out the research programme ap proved by the South Pacific Commission at its Third Session in May. This includes extension of the service for reporting epi demic diseases, and, in this, facilities of the South Pacific Health Service, in Suva, will be used. Standardisation of Quaran tine "Regulations will be another task.

Dr. Massal also will arrange for the preparation of food suitable for infants during the weaning period, and try to discover whether such foods can be pre pared safely in village communities from the usual staples and accessories. Other jobs will be to arrange for TB tests, and to establish liaison between the various field groups now working on filariasis and elephantiasis.

He expects to return to SPC head quarters in Noumea in August.

The Rev, A. J. Thompson, Archdeacon of Samara! and Mrs. Thompson, of the Australian Board of Missions, were on furlough in Melbourne in June, A reception to the Rev. and Mrs. L. D.

Fullerton, of the Methodist Mission, Nausori (Fiji) was held in Boans reception hall, Perth (WA) on May 23.