In West Samoa
p. 139 · Read in the full issue
They're Doctor Now
After many years of effort by Samoan Medical Practitioners, the West Samoan Minister of Health, fTufuga Fatu, announced at the end of July that henceforth Samoan graduates of the Central Medical [School in Suva would be designated as Medical Officers (Western Samoa), or MO (WS), and in departmental and official circles would be given [the courtesy title of doctor.
I The Minister appealed to the public to bring the title into general use.
I "Samoan Medical Practitioners have [shown themselves capable of accept ing a high degree of professional [responsibility. I am sure that this [improvement in status will be well [received by the people," said the Minister. Public feelings on the change are [mixed, says an Apia correspondent, I who adds that the public will "con [ tinue to patronise medical officers I they know can do their job, regard- I less of whether they are called [doctor, or whether they have been I trained in Fiji or anywhere else."