TUBERCULOSIS IN MAORIS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29696, 14 December 1961, Page 21

TUBERCULOSIS IN MAORIS

Rate Falling In Northland The incidence of tuberculosis among Maoris in Northland is steadily falling, and of recent years it has been much less than in native populations of many other lands, according to a survey by Dr. A. H. Webb reported by him in the “New Zealand Medical Journal.” There is still more tuberculosis among the Nortfiland Maoris than in the non-Maori population of New Zealand, however, and the full effect of the cure of many active cases, resulting in the removal from the community of reservoirs of infection, will not be felt for a few years at least, says Dr. Webb “It is unlikely that tuberculosis as a disease will become unknown before the turn of th* century." he adds. During the last 10 rears, the task of discovering and treating tuberculosis in Northland has been made much easier by improved hosnital facilities, a greater willingness of the Maori people to enter hospital, the introduction of chemotherapy for tuberculosis, case finding by mass radiography, and the B.C.G. vaccination of contacts and 13-year-olds.