Medical help sought

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33128, 19 January 1973, Page 15

Medical help sought

GV.Z. Press Association) . AUCKLAND, January 17. An American health ( expert arrived in Auckland today, hoping for help from New Zealand business firms to combat health problems in Western Samoa. Dr Omar Fareed. chairman, of the Carr Foundation of Los Angeles, a non-profit-making: foundation set up to promote better health in developing: countries, said a major but little-recognised health problem in Western Samoa was the intestinal parasite, hookworm. He said hospital studies suggested that probably 80 per cent of the population; of Western Samoa had hookworm. Although the condition was seldom fatal, it was extremely debilitating. Blood loss caused by the parasite caused severe anaemia and weakness. “This is a devastating problem in places like Western Samoa.” Dr Fareed said. “The stock criticism of the Islander is that he is indolent and apathetic. In fact, the reason

I why he is apathetic is often 'because he is suffering from; i anaemia caused by hookworm.” i Dr Fareed said his foundation was sponsoring a daily; series of radio health broad-; casts which would point out that hookworm could be ! avoided by correct sanitary habits and by wearing san-' dais, which would prevent the parasite from entering the: skin through the soles of the I feet. He thought New Zealand could do more to help im-| prove health facilities in Western Samoa. The hospital at Apia badly needed new equipment.

In other developing countries, business firms had sponsored some of the foundation health broadcasts. He would welcome any help from New Zealand firms fori this purpose in Western Samoa. Other community health; problems in Western Samoa: included venereal disease,: nutrition, and family planning. Dr Fareed, who worked in Africa for a time with the Hate Dr Albert Schweitzer, is: making a world trip to review 'the progress of the Carr Foundation’s work in Asia and West Africa.