Fighting Hansen’S Disease In Ng Highlands

(Contributed)

A milestone in the establishment of the Hansenide Colony near Mt.

Hagen, NG, was passed on Septem ber 25 and was marked by a special junction—loo of the 212 Hansen’s disease patients, or lepers, moved into permanent, sawn-timber dwell ings that had just been completed.

They had previously been treated in native-type dwellings built of round

timber, plaited bamboo, and thatch.

' Visitors present on this occasion Included the District Commissioner of the Western Highlands District, Mr. R. R. Cole and his wife, Mrs.

P. Robb, wife of the Assistant District Officer, and Mr. R. W.

Collins, Instructor at the Mt. Hagen Votive Medical School. In the after won, the Assistant Director of °ublic Health, Dr. A. 1. May, arrived I rom the Sepik with Dr. J. C.

Mclnerney in the latter’s private done.

The new hospital buildings and Euro pean quarters represent 110,000 super eet of timber which were cut by Mr. ’. L. Aveling at his sawmill which is t an altitude of 7,000 ft. The sawmill as been operating for only 16 months, nd Mr. Aveling’s resourcefulness was aulked by nothing.

The completed quarters consist of two 9 ft. x 20 ft. wards and eight 28 ft. x 5 ft. wards. A large clinic with office od routine examination room is also sady for use, while a 60 ft. x 25 ft. lilding, containing theatre, main office, icdical store, dispensary and laboratory as been is use for several months. Mr.

K. Aitken has been responsible for ganising the building programme.

The building programme is not com eted, as the target is a 500-bed ispital. This should be capable of eating all Hansen’s disease patients in e NG Highlands area. An area 10 iles in radius from the present leper l°ny has been cleaned up as most of e 376 cases treated or being treated

have walked in voluntarily from this area; 164 cases have been already dis charged and 212 cases are now under treatment.

The leper colony is Government owned,

but operated by the Mission Board of Seventh-day Adventists. All of the staff are members of the Mission.

The nursing Sisters have accomplished an enormous amount of work under try ing conditions. There was the continual frustration of keeping wards and clinics clean when the floor was made of plaited bamboo; and the kunai roofing dropped

Top shows group at function (left to right): Mrs. P. Robb, Mrs. L. H. Barnard, Mr. R.

W. Collins, Mrs. C. R. Staƒord. Mr. F. L. Aveling, Mrs. F. L. Aveling, Mrs. R. R. Cole Sisters G. M. Long, O. Y. Pearee, Mr. L. H. Barnard, Dr. A. J. May, Dr. J. C.

McInerney, Mr. R. R. Cole (hidden) and Mr C. R. Stafford.

Lower: New buildings at Hansenide Colony. Office-clinic on left with quarters lining either side of road.

grass, dust, and insects continually.

They deserve the improved working conditions they now have. Sister Olive Pearce has been with the colony for over two years and her laboratory experience has been invaluable to the hospital; Sister Gwen Long arrived this year from the Amyes Memorial Hospital in the

Solomons bringing her wealth of ex perience with her.

The new drug. Diamino Diphenyl Sulphone, usually known as DDS, has many advantages over former treatments —particularly in its lack of bad toxic reactions even when given for long periods.

Its effect is not dramatic and many cases will require several years’ treat; ment before their condition is arrested but, if cases come in early, there is littlJ chance of the disease progressing whili under treatment. This is bringing nev hope to sufferers who, formerly, could d<> nothing to arrest the mutilating and disc figuring progress of this most feared o< all diseases.

Native visitors return to their village: and add to the stories of returnet patients and thus spread good report: of the effects of the treatment and 01 the hospital.

An English entomologist, Mb Brandt, was making a collection o; moths and butterflies of NG, ii November.

Mr. P. Hughes, accompanied b 3 Mrs. Hughes, returned to BSIP on October 6 by Qantas airliner. He ha: been on leave in the United King; dom but has now resumed duty a; Acting Resident Commissioner untii the arrival of the High Commisi sioner for the Western Pacific in Honiara to take up permanent resii dence. Mr. P. A. Richardson who has been Acting Resident Commisi sioner during Mr. Hughes’ absence on leave, has resumed his substant; ive appointment as Secretary to Government.