Diabetes Survey Trial In Rangiora On Saturday

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31231, 1 December 1966, Page 18

Diabetes Survey Trial In Rangiora On Saturday

Between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday. 150 residents of Rangiora, together with another 108 persons involved on the organising side, will take part in a “dress rehearsal” for the diabetes survey planned for Rangiora during April of next year.

The 150 persons who will take part in Saturday’s preliminary survey have been selected at random from the 2500 adults in Rangiora. The survey is designed to test the timing to determine whether it will be possible to test 150 persons an hour as is hoped for the main testing in April, which will be pread over four Saturdays. i

Next Saturday’s testing will be done at the Rangiora Borough School, where three selfcontained reception centres under a central administration centre have been set up. The arrangements for testing are exactly the same as those planned for next April. Each of the reception centres has two blood taking

stations, at which a sample of each person’s blood will be taken. The samples will be put through the auto-analyser at Christchurch Public Hospital and full results should be known in a week. Appointment Time

The 150 persons have each been given a time to report at the particular reception centre to which he or she has been assigned. Reporting 20 minutes before the given time for testing, each will be measured for weight and height, leaving at least 10 minutes of “rest time” before the blood sample is taken. A quantity of glucose has been issued to each person, all of whom have been asked

to take this at a specified time on Saturday morning to tie in with the appointed time of testing. A number of elderly and infirm persons have indicated they would be pleased to cooperate in the survey, although they will not be able to attend at the testing station at the school. These persons will be visited in their homes and blood samples taken there. Groups of Eight Persons selected to take part in Saturday’s survey have been asked to report in groups of 24 each particular time. Each of the reception centres is able to handle eight persons at a time. The diabetes survey, which has been arranged under the auspices of the New Zealand Medical Research Council in conjunction with the World Health Organisation, has been made possible by a substantial grant towards the cost of the project by the Canterbury Savings Bank. Of the 108 persons engaged in organising and administering the survey on Saturday, 28 are senior pupils from Rangiora High School. Service clubs and voluntary organisations in the town are also well represented. The blood samples will be taken by 12 venesectionists from Christchurch and twelve persons representing the Christchurch Diabetic Society will also assist in the survey.