Training Natives To Doctor Natives

Doctor Natives

Colossal Task in Papua-N.

Guinea

rO deal with the biggest single health problem in the Pacific —caring for the health of ,500,000 primitive natives—the ‘apua-New Guinea Department of lealth now is putting in a basic rganisation under which a new entral medical school (to be com peted in 1956) will yearly produce bout 25 qualified native medical ractitioners.

It is hoped that at the end of 20 ears the school will have trained DO selected natives, for work among beir own people.

The Territories’ two chief basic eeds are trained medical men and rained native school teachers, for r ork in the villages. But, before bey can get to work, institutions ave to be created to train the jachers and medical workers.

Most other Pacific Territories ;nd selected students for a four ears’ training course to the Cen tal Medical School, in Suva—one f the most successful institutions f the kind in the world. But, be luse they lacked primary educa on, the experiment of sending a arty of selected natives from apua and New Guinea to the Suva chool was a failure; and it since as been decided to meet the needs f the big Australian Territories by ;tablishing a training institution k Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, the Health Depart- Lent is giving simple training to a increasing number of native jspital assistants and dressers, and i native nurses, and thus medical d is steadily being extended over ic Territories. It is not highly ;illed aid, and many districts are ill untouched, but both the tempo id size of the medical organisation ■e increasing steadily.

Hospitals Wanted

Territory citizens wonder what is )ing to happen about new hos tals, particularly at Fort Mores r and Lae, where they are desper ;ely needed.

Remembering the fanfare during le Spender regime about Seven illion Pounds for a Territory

ide hospital-building programme,

iree Advisory Councils have re ved the subject.

Apparently the £7,000,000 scheme is a first casualty in the economic trenchment policy. But a Mores r Council member has suggested at, if money is not available in illions, then why not a few thou nds to get the job started.

Indians And Fiji Rural

Government

Suva, Jan. 10.

AN Indian meeting at Ba (one of the largest centres of Fiji Indian population) has asked the Government to defer the pro posed rural local government scheme on financial grounds until the people concerned (almost ex clusively Indians) ask for it through their representatives in the Legis lative Council.

This seems to support the con tentions that this is not the time to start rural local government ex periments and that there are ques

tions of greater urgency which should be tackled first.

Cynical hints that this Indian reluctance might be due to a dis like to becoming ratepayers have been met with statements that, whatever may be said to the con trary, Indians pay their full share of taxation through (a) customs duties and (b) CSR Company taxes.

Rabaul and Kokopo had another earth tremor on January 27. Its strength was 5-6, and it lasted 105 seconds. This was enough to cause a landslide on the Rabaul-Kokopo coast road, and in some houses heavy furniture was shifted.