Rising Incidence Of Venereal Disease Causes Concern

Venereal Disease Causes Concern

By a Staff Writer

Authorities in Fiji, Tahiti and le Cook Islands have expressed

oncem recently over the rising

umber of cases of venereal isease and the number of cases iat are proving resistant to reatment.

F\R. Charles Gurd, Fiji’S

Director of Medical Services, ays in his annual report that the rowing incidence of venereal disease 1 Fiji is thought to be due largely to acial factors which include relaxed tandards of behaviour in young eople, and also as a side effect of ity growth and tourism.

Most of the blame is laid at the oor of the professional seaman, ae man on the freighter who, in 2 months, calls at most of the lajor ports in both the Pacific and ae Atlantic, not to mention the other ve seas.

The growth of venereal disease is new development in the Colony, or, unlike the Polynesians, the fijians have never been noted for leir freedom in sexual matters, and ae disease rate has always been well elow average—until now, Le Journal de Tahiti, of Papeete, eported recently that medical, civil nd military authorities in Papeete /ere alarmed because the number if cases of venereal disease had cached an unprecedented high and ertain cases were becoming worse.

“Social Plague"

“Despite the professional dis retion of the doctors,” the paper aid, “it has been learned, among ither things, that certain anti-biotics tave no effect, and that this epidemic ould become a veritable social ilague in a more or less short space if time.

“Prophylactic and census measures mist be considered without delay if t is desired to avoid an even more legrading situation.”

In the Cook Islands, the annual eport to March 31„ 1964, of the lealth and Dental Departments •resented to the Legislative Council n September says that gonorrhoea ‘still persists” in the islands, and

that “a number of cases are proving resistant to treatment.”

The source of infection appears to be Tahiti and cases of the disease are mostly confined to young people.

“Resistance of the infecting organism to most drugs is a common finding in other countries,” the report says. “A number of cases do not seek medical advice in the early stages or take inadequate treat ment. . . .

“Figures for this year show a fall in the number of cases to about half that of last year. Known cases at present number 53.”