Alcoholism recognised as illness

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 12

Alcoholism recognised as illness

Alcoholism has been recognised as an illness by New Zealand’s newest medical insurance organisation. Mr M. Forester, the Auckland director of the Mutual Health Society, Ltd. said that his board had now included alcoholism on the list of i medical ailments to be covered by the organisation. ! “We now accept alcohol- | ism as an illness, and not as ia weakness of character,” he ;said. Mr Forester said that this i development, which is unique in New Zealand, (would lift a burden off the (shoulders of the individual sufferer, and it would be of (major benefit to employers las well. I The Mutual Health Society | is a non-profit organisation, (run by a board of management comprising leading | physicians, surgeons, accountants, and businessmen. (The doctors on the board inI sisted that alcoholism be re- ■ moved from the society’s list i of exclusions.

Cricket—The Pakistani cricket star, Ma.iid Khan, said the Pakistan Governments policy on South Africa would not stop him from playing in the "cricket circus” series in Australia. "I clou t see the question arising For the Past 10 years, Pakistanis have been playing with and against South African players in England's county cricket.”